Rugby league: Northern Rail Cup by Martin Morgan

Last updated 00:19, Saturday, 15 March 2008

HAVEN produced an astonishing turnaround to take the derby spoils on Sunday.

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Man of the match: Marc Jackson powers through

Desperately poor in the first-half, they were much-improved in the second after a stern word or two from coach Paul Crarey.

Many Haven fans had expected their team to start strongly, to wipe out the memory of last week’s defeat at Halifax.

Yet they were listless for the entire first-half, which the visitors edged, in no small part due to the efforts of half-backs Carl Forber and Martin Keavney, props Dean Burgess and Ryan Benjafield, and loose-forward Rob Lunt.

The introduction of subs Marc Jackson, Howard Hill, Graeme Mattinson and Leroy Joe certainly perked up the hosts.

But terrific Town defence kept Haven at bay during a frustrating opening half.

Town fared well in the early exchanges, winger Ade Adebisi forced to knock dead Keavney’s deft chip.

When Craig Calvert then spilled Forber’s bomb on his line, and centre Mark Routledge was first to the loose ball, Town had appeared to snatch the lead. But referee Mr Carr pulled them back for offside.

The Haven faithful were less happy with the official moments later, however, as Scott McAvoy’s Kells End try was disallowed for a double movement.

Adebisi was kept busy in defence in the opening period, three times forced to shepherd the ball to safety over his dead ball line.

And he also did well to track back and stop Jason Mossop, who had hacked ahead a loose ball from close to his own try-line.

Town hit the front on 17 minutes, with full-back Mark McCully barging over the line after good work from Rob Lunt.

The try sparked Haven, a little, though even on the back of repeat drop-outs and two penalties, they were unable to make it over the Town whitewash.

The NL2 side finished the first half on top, Jamie Beaumont running a great angle as he took Forber’s short pass to touch down in the corner.

Forber landed a touchline conversion and Workington were in dreamland. Coach Dave Rotheram must have wanted the half to never end.

Thankfully for Haven, it did. And along with it their nightmare.

From the moment the second-half kicked off, Haven were sharp. They looked like a team on a mission.

And within two minutes they had pegged back the lead, Joe charging over next to the sticks.

Seven minutes later, with Marc Jackson and Howard Hill running riot, they were in again.

Jackson was on hand to take Graeme Mattinson’s pass as he turned in the tackle, to go under the posts, handing Carl Rudd a second comfortable conversion.

With the Town line under heavy pressure on 58 minutes, their defence was caught offside.

Only a few metres from the line, there must have been a temptation to run the penalty.

But the signal came from the bench: take the two. And Rudd duly obliged, putting his team 14-10 up.

Calvert had a try disallowed for a forward pass, though another four-pointer was always on the cards, and it came on 65 minutes, skipper Gary Broadbent using his deceptive strength to wriggle over.

With eight minutes left on the clock, the dangerous Shaun Lunt exploited a gap in midfield, but he lacked support and Broadbent took the Town hooker to ground.

In the closing moments, dummy-half Sice nipped over from short range, and Rudd notched his fifth goal of the half.

It was a great ending from Haven, but they will look to improve on Sunday at Keighley, who posted 40 points in defeat against Halifax a few weeks ago.

Match Facts

Haven: Broadbent, Calvert, R Jackson, Eilbeck, Adebisi, Rudd, Duffy, McDonald, Sice, Edmondson, Miller, Fletcher, McAvoy. Subs: Mattinson, Joe, Hill, M Jackson

Tries: Joe, M Jackson, Broadbent, Sice

Goals: Rudd 4

Star Man: Marc Jackson

Town: McCully, Wilson, Campbell, Routledge, Mossop, Forber, Keaveny, Benjafield, S Lunt. D Burgess, Beaumont, Miller, R Lunt. Subs: Gorman, Tunstall, Robinson, Lavulavu.

Tries: McCully, Beaumont

Goal: Forber 1

Star Man: Carl Forber

Referee: P Carr

Attendance: 1,685

To view highlights of the match, visit www. whitehaven-news.co.uk