By Martin Morgan

Last updated at 09:43, Thursday, 28 January 2010

HAVEN’S kids turned on the style in a fitting tribute to long-serving Howard Hill.

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The return of retired favourites Aaron Lester and David Fatialofa grabbed the pre-match headlines, but in the main it was the youngsters, playing with pace, enthusiasm and more than a little skill, that proved the difference between the teams in Hill’s testimonial game.

Paul Lancaster, Tyrone Dalton, Bradd Crellin and in particular hooker Mark Watson showed terrific ability.

New Aussie recruit Dylan Skee also looked a class act in the early exchanges, diving over from dummy-half on nine minutes, then adding the conversion.

Prop David Ford charged on to a pass at pace to cross on 21 minutes and stand-off Dalton did the same off Skee to put the hosts in the clear. The scrum-half’s third conversion made it 18-0.

Oldham full-back Chris Brand did well to track back and deny Ade Adebisi a try as the Haven winger chased a long kick to the corner.

But he knocked on in the process, handing the hosts possession in a dangerous position. Haven duly moved the ball sharply to the left flank for Lancaster to touch down in the corner.

Fatialofa, Haven’s greatest prop of the modern generation, left the field after a heavy tackle from the side and Lester joined his fellow Kiwi on the sidelines late in the half.

It had been pretty much one-way traffic until Lester denied the rampaging Way-ne Kerr a likely try under the sticks with a strong challenge. The big Irishman took exception and a melee erupted, with players rushing in. As a result, both were sin-binned by ref Gareth Hewer and the visitors awarded a penalty.

They might have been able to reduce the deficit had Craig Robinson been able to take a difficult pass around his shoulders but Haven survived.

Oldham started the second-half in determined fashion, winger Mark Brocklehurst latching on to a kick to the corner to reduce the deficit on 44 minutes.

Young Haven sub Jay Rossi won a footrace to the line after Oldham lost the ball in a tackle, Scott George slotting the extras.

But the visitors stuck gamely to the task and were rewarded when Craig Robinson collected a looping pass to score out wide.

The try of the match came on 62 minutes, Dalton ghosting through in midfield and finding Lancaster on his inside for the decisive pass.

George converted and was again on target after Watson popped over from close range.

Oldham’s persistence paid off in the closing two minutes, adding two more tries, the first from Chris Clarke and the second a long range effort finished off by Mick Fogerty, Brand converting both.

Hill, who thanked Oldham for turning out, added: “All the young lads played out of their skins. They showed up the first-team from our performance the week before. I’m really pleased for them.”

Match facts

Haven: Cook, Lancaster, Crellin, S Fox, Adebisi, Dalton, Skee, Bower, Watson, Ford, Hill, Radovanovic, Barker. Subs: Stephenson, Lithgow, Lester, Joe, Fatialofa, George, Tunstall, Rossi.

Tries: Skee, Ford, Dalton, Lancaster 2, Rossi, Watson.

Goals: Skee 3, George 3.

Oldham: Brand, Onyango, Littler, Fogerty, Brocklehurst, Reilly, Whitmore, Graves, Roden, Kerr, Murtzar, Robinson, Mansfield. Subs: Ashe, Ward, Clarke, Kinney.

Tries: Brocklehurst, Robinson, Clarke, Fogerty.

Goals: Brand 2.

Referee: Gareth Hewer.

Attendance: 600.

Star Man: Howard Hill (How could it be anyone else!).

First published at 15:45, Wednesday, 27 January 2010
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk