By martin morgan

Last updated 11:31, Monday, 14 April 2008

Whitehaven 44 Celtic Crusaders 16: Haven's see-sawing season hit a fantastic high last night as new coach Ged Stokes saw his team destroy the fancied full-timers from Wales.

• Watch a video clip....

Carl Rudd

Fresh from back-to-back wins over Halifax, the visitors travelled to the Recre with confidence.

But the Welsh dragon was put to the sword by the resilient Cumbrians, who were a totally different proposition to Sunday’s team, knocked out of the Northern Rail Cup at NL2 Oldham.

Playmaker Carl Rudd, returning from illness, was involved in most of Haven’s best work.

But there was much more to their performance than just the work of one player. Their pack out-played their Welsh counterparts, with Howard Hill and Marc Jackson virtually unstoppable, and hooker Graeme Mattinson producing his strongest performance of the campaign.

Their attacking play close to the Celtic line was a joy to watch, unless a Crusaders supporter.

Yet Haven fans must have feared the worst when the visitors snatched the lead on three minutes, Mark Lennon putting Anthony Blackwood in at the corner with a simple short-side move, Lennon converting.

Rudd hit back with a penalty and then saw Hill steam on to his pass for an 11th minute try.

Haven were producing some great passing movements, with Celtic struggling to keep up, and when Rob Jackson was tackled high, Rudd punished them with another penalty goal.

Leroy Joe then got in on the action, his angled bomb to the Celtic line hitting the turf and Craig Calvert reacting fastest to touch down.

Rudd utilised Ade Adebisi’s searing pace on 33 minutes, kicking behind the defence and the winger doing the rest.

Up 22-6, Haven were clapped off at the interval by both Stokes and the enthusiastic crowd, who had lapped up the first-half entertainment.

Marc Bainbridge’s teasing kick, chased by Calvert, forced a repeat set for Haven, and Rudd’s long pass put Adebisi in for his second on 54 minutes. It was all Haven, and when Rudd finally put in a weak attacking kick, Damien Quinn mopped up. But Rudd followed up, stripped the ball and scored under the sticks.

Unlike at Oldham, Haven were prepared to build pressure, Rudd and Joe both producing a great short kicking game to earn repeat sets.

Their patience finally paid off when Joe’s short pass put Spencer Miller in for a try, Rudd adding his seventh goal of the game.

In the closing minutes, prop Jordan James and second-row Mark Dalle Cort restored a little Welsh pride, Lennon adding a fine conversion.

Sandwiched between the Celtic tries came another for Haven, prop David Ford, one of their top youngsters, barging over at the Kells End, Bainbridge adding the extras.

The small crowd of 1,220 went home happy. If this is what the Stokes era promises – more please.

MATCH FACTS

Haven: Broadbent, Calvert, R Jackson, Makisi, Adebisi, Joe, Bainbridge, McDonald, Mattinson, M Jackson, Miller, Hill, Rudd. Subs: Sice, McAvoy, Edmondson, Ford

Tries: Hill, Calvert, Adebisi 2, Rudd, Miller, Ford

Goals: Rudd 7, Bainbridge 1

Celtic: Duggan, Ballard, Hannay, Lennon, Blackwood, Quinn, Dijk, James, Budworth, Tangata-Toa, Dalle Cort, Mapp, Wyatt. Subs: Webster, Summers, Beasley, Dean.

Tries: Blackwood, James, Dalle Cort

Goals: Lennon 2

Referee: T Alibert (France)

Attendance: 1,220

Star Man: Howard Hill