Super League Wolves take the tie but Haven take the plaudits
This third round Challenge Cup tie was another test in the short history of this new look Haven squad , A win was never a realistic outcome to this tie . The question was how would Havens young guns shape up to their full time Super league Opponents . The ties played on Friday suggested a cricket score might be the outcome !
With four games played so far the Haven 17 man squad that was named for this game was probably their best combination while the Wolves if not at full strength had a good sprinkling of regular Super league players in their line up .
The team took to the field in a packed Ortus Recreation ground , 3980 being the official attendance
Much as expected it was the visitors who dominated the first quarter , Hooker Danny Walker got the Wolves first try of the day and went on to get another just before the break . Other trys for visitors came from Olli Leyland and winger Jake Thewlis and with three conversions the score at the interval wa Haven nil Warrington Wolves 22 . Though that scoreline does not reflect the efforts the Haven team put in especially in defence .
The second stanza continued with the Wolves adding to trys to extend their lead to 32 points . However on 59 mins the crowd were on their feet as Havens Jay Wetherill score maybe the games best try . With Haven in possession on the Halfway line Wolves overcommit on defence allowing Ethan Bickerdike to slip the ball to supporting Jordan Burns who sprints 40 yards and feeds Jay Wetherill for amazing try Goal missed Whitehaven 4 Warrington Wolves 32 but it was seventh heaven for the Haven fans
The Wolves continued to press forward and in the last 10 minutes added two more converted trys to make the final score Whitehaven 4 Warrington Wolves 44 . Not the rout some had predicted and a game which the young Haven squad will have learned a lot from and one where they can bask in the praise they deserve , while the club itself will have boosted its finances on the back of an almost four thousand gate
Onto the League 1 campaign at Swinton in a fortnight ,.