HThompson

Published at 00:00, Thursday, 15 February 2007

By Tony Harrison

HAVEN ran in seven tries past local rivals Workington to chalk up an opening 44-18 victory in the Northern Rail Cup victory at Derwent Park.

The visitors eased to victory, with John Duffy to the forefront of their attacks, alongside great displays from Scott McAvoy, Scott Teare and Carl Sice.

Early match nerves showed as Haven’s Ricky Wright knocked on from the kick-off to hand Town the advantage but Dean Vaughan returned the favour just three plays later.

And this enabled the visitors to take the lead after Shaun Lunt was penalised for a high tackle on Aaron Lester 20 metres out, Carl Rudd slotting the first of his eight goals to give Haven a 2-0 lead in the fifth minute.

Haven, looking for the first try of the afternoon, seemed to be on their way when a superb move involving Carl Sice, Scott Teare and Wright resulted in Stephen Dawes making a timely interception with a four-to-two overlap beckoning, but the next score soon followed as Town were penalised for interference when Lester chipped through on the last tackle. Rudd added the goal and Haven led 4-0.

It was the influential John Duffy who inspired the next score, the Haven scrum-half selling a great dummy to send in Spencer Miller for the first try of the day in the 19th minute. Rudd added the two and there was daylight at 10-0 after 19 minutes play.

Town prop Taani Lavulavu was then pulled for interference in the tackle to enable Rudd to edge his side ahead to 12-0 five minutes later, and only a forward pass prevented Spencer Miller going in after good work from Carl Rudd and Duffy.

But then came a brief spell that Town should have made more of, as they were awarded several penalties inside the Haven 20-metre line that resulted in Lester receiving a yellow card for holding down in the tackle.

Town failed to break through and Carl Forber took the two points on offer to briefly reduce the arrears to 12-2.

However, Haven stormed back as the half closed and the impressive McAvoy, playing at centre, was put through by Rudd to hand-off Dawes for the easiest of tries. Rudd converted on the whistle and Haven went in a with a very comfortable 18-2 lead.

Any thoughts Town had that the half-time break may see Haven relax at the restart were dashed as the visitors tightened the screws with two unconverted tries in the first five minutes of the second half.

Duffy and Gary Broadbent set up Rudd to chip into the right-hand corner for Craig Calvert to beat Town skipper Neil Frazer to the touch two minutes in, before a McAvoy break three minutes later set up Haven’s fourth try of the game.

The storming centre fed Duffy who, in turn, put Leroy Joe away, the latter exchanging passes with Derry Eilbeck to touchdown with the Town defence AWOL.

After the introduction of Steve Kirkbride in the 49th minute and with the home side pressing down the left, Forber put in a superb cross-field kick on the last tackle for Dawes to collect and touchdown in the right-hand corner to make it 26-6.

Garry Purdham and David Whitworth almost put Shaun Lunt in five minutes later and only a superb tackle and steal on his own 20-metre line from Spencer Miller took the pressure off the visitors.

And back came Haven to score two tries in as many minutes.

Vaughan was penalised two metres out as Haven pressed for their fifth try allowing Duffy to sell an outrageous dummy and go over close to the posts. Rudd added the two for 32-6.

And almost from the kick-off Haven were on the attack again to score probably their best try of the game. Superb handling through Steve Trindall, Joe and Rudd saw Sice ease over with the Town defence almost non-existent, that man Rudd adding the two for 38-6 in the 63rd minute.

To their credit Town charged back for Rob Lunt to cross the whitewash from close range in the 69th minute, a try that was converted by Kirkbride, but a Duffy orchestrated move resulted in Sice cancelling the try out in the 76th minute. Rudd goaled and Haven led 44-12.

Town had the final say at the death when a pin-point Rob Lunt pass found Whitworth who crossed, Kirkbride adding the extras to end a disappointing afternoon for the home side.

Town: Wilson, Dawes, Frazer, Rob Lunt, Whitworth, Forber, 7 Campbell, Vaughan, Shaun Lunt, Beaumont, King, Miller, Purdham. Subs: Kirkbride (Campbell - 49 mins), McGuiness (Burgess - 43), 16 Burgess (King - 16), Lavulavu (Beaumont - 8).

Haven: Broadbent, Calvert, McAvoy, Jackson,Eilbeck, Rudd, Duffy, Trindall, Sice, Teare, Miller, Wright, Lester. Subs: Marc Jackson (Teare -18), Mattinson (Sice – 22), Joe (Wright – 28), Hill (Trindall – 22).

Referee: Robert Hicks (Oldham).

Attendance: 2,368.

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk