Alan Irving reports from the Recre

Last updated 12:48, Friday, 08 August 2008

Whitehaven 52 Sheffield Eagles 8: Inspired Haven took over where Quo left off at The Recre five days earlier but reserved the real virtuoso performance for the second half.

Try-mendous: Star Man Tane Manihera dives over for his first try for Haven

An irresistible blond of power, pace and some ingenuity made sweet music for the fans who must have worried their favourites were still nursing a Dewsbury hangover after a first-half display as stodgy as the heavy pitch.

But with Ged Stokes working his interval motivational magic the frowns soon turned to fun as rejuvenated Whitehaven racked up a point a minute, also once again to the delight of Sky TV viewers in a remarkable transformation.

The laboured 10-2 half-time lead became a swashbuckling 52-5 romp, the Eagles were well and truly rocked as rampant Haven soared into fourth place in the National League One table to give their play-off hopes a handsome boost.

Smiles all round, not least on the pitch where it was difficult to know who wore the biggest smile as the tries rained down on a weary, injury-troubled but very game Eagles.

It could have been Tane Manihera’s, for his joy at scoring a 50th minute try, his first of the season, was simply infectious, especially as it proved the icing on the cake for the venerable Kiwi --he celebrated his 34th birthday the day before.

Manihera flourished, finishing with a personal 20-point haul, eight goals adding to his try, including two fine conversations from the touchline to make up for a couple of inexplicable first half misses.

Almost nonchalantly, Tane had a had in most good things, as did his equally evergreen New Zealand half-back partner, Leroy Joe, just a year younger, but it seemed the pair did much as they pleased behind battering ram forward who could play a bit of football, too.

Once Haven got the half-time message, better ball control and more movement, Sheffield had no answer to the home side’s quick, smart plays, a mixture of strength, sublime skills and clinical execution.

Long before the end Mr Stokes was smiling and clapping, too, and who couldn’t when Marc Jackson blasted through at least three Eagles almost with disdain in the 65th minute, just as he did for his second try created by Joe and Scott Teare, who played so well on his recall.

“Jacko” - hopefully he’ll still be smiling after Tuesday’s RFL disciplinary hearing - put the seal on a seven-try second half spree, not even Ged Stokes could be too harsh at the surrender of a clean sheet as winger Rob Worrincy stole Eagles’ last-gasp only try.

Former Great Britain props Barry McDermott and Terry O'Connor, both Sky TV pundits, rightly praised Haven’s formidable forwards for laying the platform for the polished Joe-Manihera partnership to tease, torment and send players flooding through the gaps.

But most pleasing was the way Haven re-discovered their enthusiasm and played, as their coach urged, as a team hungry for work that got its just reward, not just in the biggest win of the season but in shaping up as a genuine play-off force.

No better illustrated than in the way the tries were shared out, none more popular than skipper Gary Broadbent’s on his record breaking 81st successive appearance in the chocolate blue and gold.

Up front, everyone had a field day. Prop Karl Edmondson didn’t get on the scoresheet but supported by his partner in power, Ryan McDonald, he led the down the middle surges which simply sapped all Sheffield’s strength. Non-stop grafters Graeme Mattinson and Spencer Miller got in on the scoring act along with “Jacko” and Scott McAvoy.

Big Scott’s try sparked the second-half blitz, a crackerjack effort demonstrating that the best is still to come from this talented, versatile footballer whether in the pack or centre.

Honours also to another ex-Hensingham man, Howard Hill,, another inspired performance capping an outstanding season.

Power running allied to a sizzling sidestep saw Howard present Tane his try on a proverbial plate, later displaying a delicate pop-up pass for Craig Calvert to deftly squeeze in at the corner.

But no one likes to score, and smile more, than Ade Adebisi on the other wing, the London flyer producing arguably the most spectacular dive of the season to capitalise on Danny Mills’ hesitancy to break the early deadlock as Eagles, to their credit, battled all the way.

Manihera’s perfectly judged kick had created the 12th minute score for Ade to fly in from nowhere - what a finish.

All systems go on attack for Haven once they cut loose but no one underlined the defensive commitment more than Saia Makisi - the Tongan international was put in the middle of the field where he proved a real enforced with a series of bone crunching, ball-freeing tackles.

Spoiled for choice on the night for a man of the match but my personal vote goes to Tane Manihera, and not just for his beaming smile or birthday treat!

Not so many at The Recre as for Quo, but still a near 2,000 crowd plus many thousands of TV viewers saw Whitehaven elevate its own status, leaving the fans to wonder why comes next?

MATCH FACTS

Whitehaven: Broadbent; Calvert, Rob Jackson, Patrick, Adebisi; Manihera, Joe; Edmondson, Mattinson, Hill, Miller, McAvoy, Makisi. Subs: Barker, Marc Jackson, Mcdonald, Teare.

Eagles: Woodcock; Mills, Roby, Reid, Worrincy; Lindsay, Brambani; Buckenhow, Edwards, Stringer, Szostak, Traylor, Whitaker. Subs: Mcdonald, Hayes, Pickering, Brown.

Referee: Gareth Hewer.

Attendance: 1,904.

Star Man: Tane Manihera