Martin Morganat Hilton Park

Last updated 11:03, Friday, 14 March 2008

Leigh Miners R 14 Haven 40: RICHARD Fletcher turned back the clock to last season as he set Haven on the way to victory with two of their seven tries.

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Defence: Liam Finch is held by the Leigh rear guard

The second-row, outstanding last term, has made a slower start this season, understandable after breaking five ribs at the end of last year helping Scotland in to the World Cup finals.

But he showed signs of his true form at Keighley last week and took only four minutes to open his account on Saturday, following up with a second try after the break.

Ryan McDonald may never score tries in Fletcher’s fashion, but he does his front-row job very well and proved just as effective as his fellow forward against the top amateur side.

Credit to the prop. He was not top of Haven’s close-season wanted list but has been outstanding so far this term. He stood out again on Saturday, thanks in part to his appetite for work.

Fletcher flew on to Carl Rudd’s pass to open the scoring, Rudd converting.

Haven showed some neat early touches, and Liam Finch was quickly on the scoreboard.

His try came after Leroy Joe changed the direction of play, Gary Broadbent feeding Finch. Fletcher slotted the first of his five conversions.

Haven had regained possession for the try following a heavy Scott McAvoy tackle. And the second-row put in another good effort moments later, this time to save a try.

Leigh winger Simon Hartley had intercepted Finch’s chip and set off from deep with not a single Haven defender ahead of him.

But McAvoy tracked back, showing impressive speed to take him down.

The NL1 side scored again on their next set, Derry Eilbeck touching down Joe’s short dummy-half kick.

Sub David Ford was denied his chance of glory on his first appearance of the campaign when held up over the line.

But two minutes later the youngster put Joe in for a try. Joe spilled the re-start kick in the swirling wind, and McAvoy was on hand again to save a try.

He forced an error from loose-forward Liam Coleman as he dived for the whitewash.

Miners finally scored three minutes before the break, stand-off Martin Ridyard intercepting Finch’s long pass in his own half and holding off the cover.

The hosts showed their true colours in the opening 10 minutes of the second-half.

They forced Broadbent to defuse a dangerous kick, and Craig Calvert was tackled behind his own line, and then bundled in to touch, as he mopped up a loose ball.

But it was Haven who struck first, Rudd’s short pass putting Fletcher in the clear.

Miners replied eight minutes later, Coleman steaming on to scrum-half Martin Lewis’s pass, Ridyard converting.

Rob Jackson made the amateurs pay for losing the ball in the tackle close to their own line, touching down under the posts.

But the Conference club were rewarded for another great spell, centre Chris Humphrey reducing the deficit.

With so many tries on the board, Calvert must have been itching for a chance, and when it came in the closing moments he took it well.

Following good work from Finch and Eilbeck, he outpaced the cover down the flank to score.

Match Facts

Haven: Broadbent, Calvert, R Jackson, Eilbeck, Adebisi, Joe, Finch, McDonald, Mattinson, Edmondson, McAvoy, Fletcher, Rudd. Subs: Sice, Ford, Hill, Teare

Tries: Fletcher 2, Finch, Eilbeck, Joe, Jackson, Calvert. Goals: Rudd 1, Fletcher 5

Miners: Dainty, Hartley, Humphrey, Woods, Jones, Ridyard, Lewis, Balmer, Gorton, Whiteside, Higson, Warhurst, Coleman. Subs: Alkington, Dawson, Galvin, Eckersley

Tries: Ridyard, Coleman, Humphrey. Goals: Ridyard 1

Referee: C Neilson

Attendance: 450

Star Man: Ryan McDonald