Town lose out in derby clash

The form book was against them after losing the last six fixtures between the two sides, but they put the derby-day hoodoo behind them as they won back the Ike Southward Memorial Trophy. 

It wasn’t pretty though, as The Recreation Ground quickly turned into a mud bath thanks to driving rain which certainly played its part in the annual derby fixture. 

Haven went into half-time 12-0 up thanks to tries from Grant Gore and Chris Taylor and they had the conditions to thank for their first score in the 11th minute. 

A kick from Gore held up in the mud, throwing off Town full-back Jack Murphy who was caught out by the stoppage, players from both sides went for the ball and it popped up in front of Gore who looped round the defenders to score in the corner.

Twenty minutes later, Haven doubled their lead as centre Taylor refused to give up despite being tackled close to the line and barged his way over. Town stormed out of the blocks after the break and had Haven penned in their own territory for most of the second half. 

They were eventually rewarded as Forber made a neat break on halfway before offloading to Forrester who sprinted 40 metres to score his second try in two games for a 12-6 scoreline. 

As the game drew to a close both Brett Phillips and Taylor were sent to the sin-bin following a 26-man brawl in the middle of the field. 

Town will rue their missed opportunities but, for the second week running, conditions took their toll as both sides found themselves guilty of coughing up the ball in important positions.

Whitehaven started the game with just one new player in their line-up as Elliot Miller took his place on the wing to face his former club. Louis Jouffret was back in the side after making a permanent switch The Recre following his stint on loan last year and Ted Chapelhow started in the front row after making 22 appearances on dual-registration last season. 

New signings Glenn Riley and Nathan Lucock were on the bench and introduced as the game progressed. 

Workington made just two changes to the starting line-up from last weekend’s draw against Barrow as Jamie Doran returned to the side and partnered Carl Forber in the halves. 

Karl Olstrom started in the pack in place of the injured Jarrad Stack.

Both teams started the game in their predominantly white strips, but they didn’t stay that colour for long. 

Town came closest to scoring first as Murphy slid in a neat grubber kick for Tee Ritson, who started on the wing, but he was just beaten to the ball by Miller who managed to knock it away for a goal-line drop out.

Penalties and knock-ons littered the opening exchanges and it was a charge-down by James Newton that set Haven up for their first try. 

The hooker charged down a last-tackle kick by Forber which Jouffret collected and ran to halfway. 

Haven worked into Town’s half and Gore slid a kick through on the last tackle. Murphy looked to have had it covered but the ball sat up in the mud as he slid over to collect it and couldn’t get a hand to it. 

After players from both teams tried to regain possession the ball popped up in front of Gore who followed his kick and he ran round the Town defenders to go over in the corner. 

A goal-line drop out forced by Miller then helped give Haven field position for their second try. The drop out was returned to the 30 by Burns and Haven then won a penalty for hands in at the play the ball.

Jay Chapelhow set his side up inside the 10 and Haven started to work the ball right. 

The home side looked to have a man advantage as Gore passed out to Taylor but the centre slipped on the wet ground as he tried to step his defender. 

He was then wrapped up by two players but he managed to force his way through them and crashed over the line to score. 

Jouffret’s conversion put Haven 12-0 up, a scoreline which they took into half-time. 

Trailing by two scores Town had to start the second half strongly and they did just that as they forced an early goal-line drop out. 

However, on too many occasions they were guilty of knocking on early in the tackle count in dangerous positions. 

The reintroduction of Kris Coward led to Town’s try as he identified a gap which he played Forber into. 

The forward took his first carry after coming back off the bench and he played a very late pass to Forber who darted through a gap in Haven’s defence. 

He then found Forrester on his inside and the winger had the legs to go 40 metres to score next to the posts. Forber converted for a 12-6 scoreline.

Haven’s best chance in the second-half followed a break from the impressive John Paul Brocklebank, having his first run-out since May. 

The half-back ran through Town’s defence and made 30 metres before passing out to Miller in support. 

Haven were then stopped short of the line and Newton tried a dive from dummy-half but was unable to force his way over. 

A penalty for a high tackle on Stevie Scholey 10 minutes from time resulted in a 26-man brawl in the middle of the field and both Brett Phillips and try-scorer Taylor were sent to the sin bin for their part in the fracas. 

Town had the better of play as both sides had been reduced to 12 men but they were unable to find a way through Haven’s defence and a last-gasp kick through from Forber was collected by Jessie Joe Parker and the Haven centre was tackled as the final hooter sounded to give his side their first derby win since April 2014.

Haven: Jouffret, Miller, Taylor, Holliday, Calvert; Aiye, Gore; Beaumont, Newton, T Chapelhow, Allen, Parker, Davies Subs: Riley, Burns, Brocklebank, Lucock, Fox, J Chapelhow, Chamberlain.

Town: J Murphy, Carter, Hulme, Mossop, Ritson; Forber, Doran; Coward, C Phillips, Scholey, B Phillips, Whiteley, Olstrom Subs: McAvoy, Gordon, Forrester, Rooney, C Murphy.

Half-time: 12-0

Attendance: 833

Referee: J Smith