Workington Town 6, Whitehaven 60

WHITEHAVEN easily retained the Ike Southward Memorial Trophy as the two Cumbrian rivals opened their pre-season campaign at Derwent Park.

It was the fourth time the trophy has been contested since the death of the former Workington and Great Britain star who ended his dazzling career with Whitehaven.

Each time Whitehaven have come out on top and in scoring ten tries, all converted, they emphasised the gap that exists now between the Championship and the level below.

Gary Charlton, joint coach of hosts Town, admitted he was disappointed.

“I thought we would have shown more fire and determination against our most fierce rivals.

“To be truthful I think we would have done better if it had been 17 against 17 but with more than 20 players each the inter-changes favoured Whitehaven.

“While we were replacing big with small they were changing big with big. We know we lack power and strength in depth and that’s what we need to look at before the season proper.”

By contrast Ged Stokes admitted to being well-pleased with how his side performed.

“It was an excellent way to start what is going to be a busy pre-season. I don’t normally play the number of pre-season games we have arranged this time and I hope we can get as much out of it as possible.

“We scored some good tries when we moved the ball and supported the runner, and then we tried to bring our kicking game in it in the second half.

“There were some good performances with Carl Rudd looking very good while the two props, I thought, were excellent – Marc Jackson and Ryan McDonald,” he said.

Workington opened with the first set of six which took hem to the Whitehaven 20-metre line but from then on it was really Whitehaven who dominated the first-half and led 30-0 at the break from five converted tries.

If the home crowd hoped for a close contest for Ike’s Trophy they were virtually extinguished in the first quarter of an hour when Whitehaven established an 18-0 advantage.

Although Workington tackled bravely, tenaciously and with plenty of commitment it was the strength, power and excellent support play from Whitehaven which undid them.

The opening try came after seven minutes following strong pressure on the home line. Eventually it was Leroy Joe who whipped-out the perfect pass for Marc Jackson to take on the bang and surge over by the posts. Carl Rudd landed the first of his nine successful conversions.

Town just couldn’t get the ball back for long enough and Whitehaven showed slick handling and very impressive backing-up to produce a wave of attacks which became increasingly hard to defend.

Graham Mattinson was next over on 12 minutes, again going over from close range but after some neat inter-passing had opened p he Town defence.

On 14 minutes centre Rob Jackson strode through impressively to finish off and the game was virtually over as a contest – even that early in proceedings.

Jack Pedley was lively for Town when he came on from the bench and he got the home side going forward effectively for the first time, spending a brief spell in the Whitehaven danger zone.

But the short siege was laid after a misplaced Town pass and when Whitehaven got moving again it spelled trouble. Soni Radanovich was tackled just short of he line but the power, strength and reach to make the touchdown.

Just as he had started the scoring, Marc Jackson finished it right on the break, getting a pass near the line from Matt Tunstall to bundle his way over for the fifth try. With Rudd off the pitch new boy Mick Govin added the conversion.

Whitehaven seemed to take time to find their rhythm in the second-half and used a kicking game earlier in their sets, but not as effectively as coach Stokes might have hoped for.

But when they resumed the smart inter-passing and support it brought instant results. When the ball was moved smartly to the left Craig Calvert shot through to score in the corner.

The Town defence had more work to do and although they continued to show good spirit they couldn’t stem the tide.
Stephen Fox, a likely young lad brought on as a substitute; Rob Jackson and Carl Sice all added to the Whitehaven lead to take the visitors over the half-century mark.

Town did deserve a score and it came our minutes from the end. Aaron Low, who signed for the club on Christmas Eve, made a surging run from half-way and he released Brett Carter at the right time for the winger to race in and score with Scott Kaighan adding the points.

Carter had done particularly well earlier under the high ball and ran with a lot of endeavour and purpose whenever he had the opportunity.

But inevitably the final word went to Whitehaven. A great break from man of the match Rudd ended with Derry Eilbeck making the line for the tenth try.

Star Men: Town – Brett Carter
Haven – Carl Rudd

Town: Lebbon, Carter, Low, J. Finch, Backhouse, L. Finch, Kaighan, Dutton, King, Whitehead, Wilson, McKenna, Beattie. Subs (all used): Robinson, Pedley, Bragg, Hewitt, Burgess, Kaufman, Marshall, Frazer

Whitehaven: Benson, Eilbeck, R. Jackson, Patrick, Calvert, Rudd, Govin, M. Jackson, Mattinson, McDonald, Thornley, Hill, Joe. Subs (all used): Smith, Skee, Radonavich, S. Fox, Sice, R. Fox, Miller, Ford, Tunstall, Farrer.

Referee: Gareth Hewer

Attendance: 1,333

Afterwards Getnoticedonline.co.uk spoke to Gary Charlton for his view of the derby game.  You can listen by clicking on http://www.getnoticedonline.co.uk/audio/ged-stokes/gary-charlton-after-whitehaven.html

MAL WALKER was representing getnoticedonline.co.uk to supply the best action shots and Mal's prints can can be bought at £25 for an A4 framed and £40 for an A3 framed. Prints only are £10 A4 and £15 A3.  

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