Halifax 52 Whitehaven 6: Halifax centre Steve Tyrer scored four tries as the West Yorkshire side put Whitehaven to the sword, winning 52-6 in their opening game of the season.

It was a day to forget for James Coyle’s side as the west Cumbrians were out-muscled and out-enthused by promotion-chasers Halifax.

The hosts lead 24-0 at the break as Tyrer had already secured his hat-trick with Gareth Moore adding to his side’s lead.

Sam Smeaton, Ben Kaye, Will Sharp and James Saltonstall each crossed the line in the second half with Tyrer adding a fourth.

The centre also kicked eight goals from nine attempts as he equalled his side’s record for most points scored by an individual in a single game at 32.

Elliot Miller scored in the final minute to avoid being nilled, but it was little consolation for Haven.

There was very little to separate the two sides in the opening 10 minutes and most of the play was in the middle of the field.

It took 12 minutes for the hosts to go ahead and they did so through Tyrer. Halifax were able to offload the ball at will and took advantage of a penalty to set themselves up in Haven’s half.

After a handful of offloads Tyrer was sent down the left and he shrugged off two would-be tacklers to go over for his first of the afternoon.

Halifax almost let Haven back into the game immediately from the restart as Scott Murrell knocked on from the kick-off.

After a scrum on Halifax’s 10-metre line, a pass from Dion Aiye went behind Louis Jouffret and the Frenchman was beaten to the loose ball by Murrell who made up for his earlier error.

On 20 minutes, Tyrer double his side’s lead after a break from Dane Manning. Manning pushed Dave Allen off a tackle and he passed out to Will Sharp who found Tyrer on his inside for the try.

A second conversion by the centre made it 12-0.

Haven tried to get the ball moving but coughed it up in Halifax’s half and in their next set, the West Yorkshire side went further ahead. Another break down the left went through two pairs of hands and half-back Moore added his name to the scoresheet.

Halifax struck the killer blow on the stroke of half-time as Tyrer picked up his hat-trick just before the hooter. A fourth break down the left edge was finished by Tyrer after a two-on-one against Jouffret and Fax lead 24-0 at the break after his fourth conversion.

Richard Marshall’s side picked up as they left off and it took just six minutes for them to add to their lead.

Adam Robinson was stopped short of the line after some neat offloading by the hosts but a kick was put through on the last and Smeaton came up with the ball to score.

Tyrer scored his fourth of the afternoon on the back of an offload from Murrell.

The half-back sent a team-mate through a gap up the middle and the ball eventually made its way to Tyrer on the left. He kicked behind Burns and Taylor and was first to the loose ball, touching it down just before rolling dead.

Halifax’s enthusiasm throughout the second half was superb and they were playing as if they were chasing the result.

This helped lead to their seventh of the afternoon as Kaye was the beneficiary of an offload and he managed to force his way over the line from 15 metres out.

Halifax were relentless in their attacks. Haven conceded a penalty immediately from the restart for offside and the home side scored their eighth soon after. Mitch Cahalane was stopped short of the line but the ball was passed to Gareth Moore and he kicked to the corner for Sharp who came up with the ball.

Another penalty against Haven lead to another try. Murrell tapped and Fax went back on the charge. They found numbers on the right-hand side and Cahalane passed out to Saltonstall who stepped and went over for the try.

Miller scored a consolation try in the final minute as the winger latched onto a kick to the corner and Chamberlain converted from the touchline for a final score of 52-6.

Whitehaven: Jouffret, Miller, Chamberlain, Taylor, Burns; Aiye, Gore; Beaumont, Newton, Riley, Allen, Parker, Fox. Subs: J Chapelhow, T Chapelhow, Davies, Brocklebank

Try: Miller. Goal: Chamberlain 1/1

Halifax: Johnston, Sharp, Smeaton, Tyrer, Saltonstall; G Moore, Murrell; Ambler, Kaye, Cahalane, Barber, Manning, Fairbank. Subs: Tangata, Maneely, R Moore, Robinson

Tries: Tyrer 4, G Moore, Smeaton, Kaye, Sharp, Saltonstall. Goals: Tyrer 8/9

Referee: Joe Cobb

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