Whitehaven coach James Coyle has questioned players after seeing his side capitulate in the second-half of Sunday’s Championship Shield clash at Sheffield Eagles.

Haven went in with a 16-12 advantage at the interval but the home side dominated the second period to run out 48-16 victors.

Coyle said: “I have questioned the lads about what goes on in their heads between walking out of that changing room door and then crossing that white line, because everything they spoke about doing as a unit just didn’t happen in the second-half .

“The game plan was working. But we lost Ryan Duffy early on in his stint and also lost Ugo Perez with a blood injury."

“That then showed by the back end of the game when you start to tire, and having already had to make two changes that we didn’t really want to make,” added Coyle.

“We had to make three forced changes before the game and then had to make a change at centre early on and move the half-backs around near the end of the game.

“These are the type of things that catch up with you later in the game.”

Whitehaven have five games to save their Championship status – four of them against teams they have taken points off this season.

Arguably two of their toughest tests against Championship Shield favourites Bradford Bulls and in-form Sheffield Eagles are now out of the way.

No-one is waving the white flag at the Recreation Ground as James Coyle’s men prepare for a fifth meeting with local rivals, and fellow relegation strugglers Workington Town.

Whitehaven, who have now lost their last 10 games, have won three of the previous four meetings with Town, and only lost last month to a try two seconds from the end, and to a touchline conversion after the hooter.