Last updated 12:40, Monday, 30 June 2008

Whitehaven 24 Dewsbury 16: It wasn’t pretty but against a big Dewsbury outfit scrapping for their First Division lives, it was never likely to be.

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Graeme Mattinson scores Haven's first try

Haven achieved their objective of taking the three points that put them back in the play-off picture.

Though it was only in the closing moments, when they went two scores clear, that their fans could finally relax.

Haven’s pack was up to the mark, it had to be against Dewsbury’s bustling forwards, led by Super League-bound Dominic Maloney.

But they were less eye-catching elsewhere, other than at the back where No 1 Gary Broadbent played his usual intense, fearless game.

Karl Edmondson took some holding in the early exchanges, while fellow prop Ryan McDonald also worked hard.

Marc Jackson particularly impressed in the second-half, as did Spencer Miller and Scott McAvoy, while the longer the game went, the better veteran Howard Hill played.

The Rams had travelled to West Cumbria on Saturday night, to ensure an uninterrupted preparation, and they won’t have returned home happy, probably feeling the match was there for the taking, when trailing only 12-10 at the interval and 18-16 deep in to the second-half. A bonus point leaves them in major relegation trouble, though yesterday they did not play like candidates for the drop.

Great defence from Austin Buchanan put a charging Craig Calvert in to touch in the opening moments, and from then on, the Yorkshiremen were full of confidence.

A Liam Finn penalty for offside put the visitors in front after eight minutes, though there was no time for celebrations.

Carl Rudd’s bullet restart cannoned dead off Buchanan, Edmondson making great ground from the resulting possession.

When the Kiwi was held down in front of the posts, coach Ged Stokes signalled to run the penalty.

And his faith was repaid when Graeme Mattinson barged over from dummy-half, Tane Manihera converting.

There was more excitement from the restart, Edmondson putting Hill in the clear for a gallop. The Rams survived the threat, and edged back in to the game after Broadbent spilled a pass from the scrum base and the hosts then strayed offside.

Finn’s second penalty closed the gap to 6-4, and the scrum-half then put his team in front.

The midfield break came from impressive loose-forward Josh Weeden, and Finn was in support to take the pass, adding the extras for good measure.

Haven restored parity on the half-hour, ever-reliable finisher Calvert collecting Rudd’s looping pass to flash in, improving the angle for Manihera’s successful conversion.

There was little between the teams, and Dewsbury almost seized the initiative just before the interval, when following a classy break, a pass that put Buchanan in at the corner was ruled forward.

Haven started the second-half well, Calvert chasing Carl Sice’s kick and pinning full-back Tom Colleran behind his line. But they were unable to take immediate advantage, with Calvert bundled in to touch by a posse of defenders.

The Rams had the next chance to score, Weeden again cutting loose down the middle. He had an unmarked man on his inside but opted to kick.

Rob Jackson mopped up for Haven but was flattened by a tough shoulder charge, which ref Ron Laughton put on report.

Haven’s decision to run another penalty on the Dewsbury line paid dividends on 58 minutes, scrum-half Gregg McNally scooping up a loose ball and planting it between the sticks at the Kells End.

Rudd converted, but Haven could not shake off dogged Dewsbury, who hit back on 69 minutes, stand-off Ryan Smith nipping over from dummy-half and Finn goaling.

As Dewsbury pushed for a late winner, Saia Makisi seized on an error 35 metres out. Hill then burst through on another impressive run, and Miller powered on to McNally’s classy short pass to score.

Rudd held his nerve with the conversion attempt, half-way between the sticks and the whitewash, to finally put the match beyond Dewsbury’s reach.

MATCH FACTS

Haven: Broadbent, Adebisi, R Jackson, Makisi, Calvert, Manihera, McNally, Edmondson, Mattinson, McDonald, Hill, Miller, Rudd. Subs: Sice, Gorski, McAvoy, M Jackson

Tries: Mattinson, Calvert, McNally, Miller Goals: Manihera 2, Rudd 2

Rams: Colleran, Powell, Epati, Hall, Buchanan, Smith, Finn, Trinder, Elston, Maloney, Glassie, Bostock, Weeden. Subs: Haigh, Rourke, Robinson, Walker

Tries: Finn, Smith. Goals: Finn 4

Ref: Ron Laughton. Attendance: 1,700 (est). Star Man: Howard Hill