By Martin Morgan

Last updated at 12:58, Monday, 15 March 2010

Whitehaven 34 Toulouse 20: When the going got tough, Haven finally got going. The doubters must have had a field day at half-time with Haven 20-10 down in their opening Championship game after a disappointing cup campaign.

Rob Jackson touches down

There were dark mutterings – just 40 minutes in to the league season – that the team was doomed.

But Haven showed real character in the second-half, and more than a little ability, to notch 24 unanswered points and deny the French even a bonus point.

Substitute Carl Sice turned the game with two quick tries after the break, but it was not a one-man show, the whole team was terrific.

Forwards Graeme Mattinson, Spencer Miller and Kyle Amor were immense, and stand-off Carl Rudd, who had not shown his full repertoire in the early games of the season, came to life and displayed his undoubted skill.

The difference in Haven’s pace in this game and what had gone before it this term was incredible.

The hosts were really up for the battle, as they had to be against a French side who last week knocked Keighley out of the Challenge Cup at Cougar Park and previously beat another Championship rival, Dewsbury, in their first league match.

Haven made a disastrous start to the game, Leigh’s pacey on-loan full-back Ian Mort knocking on with his first touch for Haven as he fielded an end-of-set kick, 20 metres from his line.

Toulouse seized their chance, full-back Rory Bromley latching on to a short kick to score, Nathan Wynn converting.

On eight minutes Haven replied after Mick Govin took a return pass from Marc Jackson and found Howard Hill on the charge.

Hill had the ball stripped three metres out, and taking advantage of their penalty, Haven moved the ball left, Mattinson’s dummy-half kick putting Dylan Skee in for a try.

The hosts had the upper hand, with Hill prominent, but it was Toulouse who were next on the scoresheet. A cross-field kick exposed Haven’s lack of cover on their right side and Antoni Maria went on for a try.

Amor’s grapple tackle on prop Brendon Worth gifted the French another great position, winger Bruno Oremeno crossing out wide.

The game might have drifted away from Haven, but a moment of magic from Rudd kept them in touch.

He ghosted through as Toulouse held off, going under the posts, with the defence waiting for a pass that never came, the stand-off adding the conversion for good measure.

As the clock ticked in to the final minute of the half, Haven went looking for another score, Sice trying an ambitious pass to the wing that floated in to touch, 30 metres from the French line.

Richard Farrer was then penalised for a flop, to hand the visitors easy metres, and Seb Planas again exposed some shaky defence on Haven’s right side to score.

Haven needed the first score of the second-half and Sice obliged within two minutes, gathering Rudd’s grubber to go between the sticks.

Four minutes later, the same two players were heavily involved in the next try. Rudd’s 40-20 kick handed his team a great position and Sice popped over from dummy-half.

Rudd’ conversion went over off the post to put Haven 22-20 up.

The visitors were rattled, conceding quickfire penalties after giving Rob Jackson a facial, and then, more seriously, kneeing Spencer Miller in a tackle.

Hard-running Miller must have just recovered from that knock when centre Vincent Duport was sent off for a stiff challenge on the second-row, on 52 minutes.

Amor was running riot, and when he broke the line he looked to feed Mort in support, only for the poor pass to go to ground.

Toulouse forced a drop-out on the hour mark in virtually their first attack of the half, with Planas then penalised for a double movement as he went over in the corner.

The desperate French defence were on the back foot, just getting to Rudd’s attacking angled kick ahead of winger Craig Calvert, knocking the ball dead.

On the next set, Toulouse were penalised for interference, and Haven’s decision to take a tap penalty paid off.

With a Toulouse defender lying injured on their left side defence, Haven fed the ball in that direction for youngster Reece Fox to crash over on 72 minutes.

Rudd’s fine conversion put his team two scores ahead, and on the next set, after more great work from Amor in particular, Skee’s short pass put Mort in for his debut try.

Haven: Mort, Dawes, D Miller, R Jackson, Calvert, Rudd, Skee, M Jackson, Mattinson, Amor, S Miller, Hill, Govin. Subs: Sice, Thornley, R Fox, Farrer.

Tries: Skee, Rudd, Sice 2, R Fox, Mort; Goals: Rudd 5

Toulouse: Bromley, Ormeno, Planas, Duport, Mendes, Houles, N Wynn, Worth, Gay, T Wynn, Tisseyre, Maria, Anselme. Subs: Gout, Faure, Worrall, Larroyer

Tries: Bromley, Maria, Ormeno, Planas; Goals: N Wynn 2

Referee: Jamie Leahy

Attendance: 1,181

Star Man: Carl Sice

First published at 11:28, Monday, 15 March 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk