Eagles shocked by hearty Haven

04/06/2023

Anyone can beat anyone.

That’s how sport works and that theory was on show today as the current 2nd-placed Sheffield Eagles were taught a lesson by relegation-threatened Whitehaven.

Despite braces for Bayley Liu and Ben Jones-Bishop, Haven full-back Josh Rourke will have his name in lights with a double of his own as well as eight goals from as many attempts.

This was a bare 17 for Haven, with interchange sub Dion Aiye only named to make up the numbers due to injury but as all PNG lads do - he ended up doing a stint in the second half and was one of the best on the field.

Liu broke the deadlock after four minutes before Curtis Teare and Chris Taylor got on the scoresheet for Haven, to emphasise that the Eagles weren’t going to have it all their own way.

A Jones-Bishop double in the space of two minutes put Sheffield back on top for a short time but Jonty Gorley’s men ended the half ten points up courtesy of tries from Daniel Spencer-Tonks and Rourke.

Half-time - Sheffield Eagles 14-24 Whitehaven

Game management would be the buzzword for Haven in the second half and the Eagles played into their hands by conceding two penalty goals, stretching the Cumbrians’ lead to three scores.

Haven were also a man up thanks to Mikey Wood’s yellow card for one of those penalties, a late hit from the former Huddersfield man saw him into the sin-bin.

Rourke’s second converted score on 54 minutes looked to have put the game to bed early in the second half as the travelling Whitehaven fans were making themselves heard.

Liu and Izaac Farrell both touched down and Cory Aston’s two conversions got Sheffield to within eight points but that’s as good as it got for the Steel City club.

Ryan King’s try five minutes from time meant the spoils were heading back to the LEL Arena.

Full-time - Sheffield Eagles 26-40 Whitehaven