WHITEHAVEN 34 DEWSBURY RAMS 12
JORDAN WEIR, The Ortus REC, Sunday

WHILE their play-off place may not be mathematically secure, it would take a strange set of events for Whitehaven to not enter the Championship play-offs for the first time since 2021 as they secured their fifth victory in a row for the first time since 2018.

In the first half they scored 14 unanswered points, the first two coming from the boot of Ciaran Walker as the halfback kicked a penalty after a late tackle from Bailey O’Connor.

Haven soon had a reshuffle due to the loss of full back Jack Newbegin with a head injury and there was a lengthy stoppage as the youngster was helped from the field.

Haven’s re-shuffle didn’t hamper their try scoring ability as minutes later Brad Brennan dived over after a basketball play, keeping the ball alive with several offloads before the forward crossed the line for his fifth of the season. Walker converted.

The lead was extended  just after the half-hour mark as Ben Pearce dived over the line on the end of a neat grubber off his weak foot from Ciaran Walker, with the rookie grabbing his seventh try of the campaign.

Haven extended their lead early in the second half thanks to another penalty goal as the Rams were penalised for offside on their own try line. Walker duly added his fourth goal of the afternoon. 

This sparked a mini-comeback from the visitors as they scored two tries in four minutes.

Tom Delaney continued his remarkable try scoring form with a spectacular diving finish in the left-hand side corner for his 19th score of the season. Bailey O’Connor nailing the touchline conversion.

O’Connor then turned try scorer after being the beneficiary of a one-on-one strip after a lengthy winding run from Ellison Holgate. O’Connor received the ball and sprinted to touch down.

A scuffle after the score saw Jack Kellett and Dan Coates sin-binned after O’Connor had converted his own score.

While down to twelve men it was the Cumbrians who took advantage as Jay Weatherill, deputising in the fullback berth, crashed over after a soft inside pass from Ciaran Walker. Walker was successful with the conversion.

The spoils were secured for Haven as Holgate chased his own kick, which hit the protective padding before he dived on the ball to celebrate a new two-year contract, which was announced on the stadium’s big screen at half-time.

The final word went to Marc Shackley.

The former Haven captain announced his retirement last week and after a barnstorming run and touchdown from Woody Walker, which saw the loanee get his first professional try, Shackley stepped up with the conversion.

Ethan Bickerdike was shown a yellow card before the conversion attempt for his part in a post-try scuffle, but the forward settled himself and said goodbye to the Recreation Ground crowd, slotting over his first ever career conversion before being carried around the field on his teammates’ shoulders.

GAMESTAR: Woody Walker had his best game in Haven colours, breaking through on the hooter for his first professional score.

GAMEBREAKER: Haven scored while down to twelve men through Jay Weatherill to re-establish an advantage that they never looked like losing in the final quarter.

MATCHFACTS

WHITEHAVEN
7 Jack Newbegin
5 Jay Weatherill
4 Ethan Bickerdike
2 Mitchell Todd
31 Xenden Callander
6 Ciaran Walker
13 Jack Kellett
20 Marc Shackley
9 Ellison Holgate
16 Brad Brennan
11 Connor Holliday
23 Ben Pearce
27 Woody Walker
Subs (all used)
8 Jake Pearce
15 Ellis Nixon
25 Alfie Sinclair
32 Liam Wiliamson

Tries: Brennan (17), B Pearce (31), Weatherill (62), Holgate (73), W Walker (80)
Goals: C Walker 6/6, Shackley 1/1
Sin bin: Kellett (60) – fighting; Bickerdike (80) – dangerous contact

RAMS
29 Bailey O’Connor
5 Liam Copland
27 Connor Carr
4 George Senior
2 Tom Delaney
6 Dan Coates
7 Jacob Hookem
8 Luke Nelmes
21 Monty Lumb
16 Louis Collinson
15 Jacob Bateman
23 Brad Graham
11 Joe Summers
Subs (all used)
14 Jacob Parkinson
17 Harvey Roberts
18 Jack Briggs
28 Finnley Thompson

Tries: Delaney (54), O’Connor (58)
Goals: O’Connor 2/2
Sin bin: Coates (60) – fighting

SCORING SEQUENCE: 2-0, 8-0, 14-0; 16-0, 16-6, 16-12, 22-12, 28-12, 34-12

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Whitehaven: Woody Walker; Rams: Luke Nelmes

Penalty count: 6-5
Half-time: 14-0
Referee: Aaryn Belafonte
Attendance: 890