In a tight, sometimes physical Championship game, Whitehaven lost 14-4 at Halifax Panthers.
It was close throughout and the decisive try didn’t come until the 71st minute when Matt Garside followed up his own kick to get the touchdown and Liam Harris converted from in front of the sticks.
That was the biggest lead of the game and it stayed that way to the finish, enabling the Panthers to register a sixth straight win.
Whitehaven had taken the lead on 27 minutes with a penalty from Lachlan Walmsley and the Australian full-back popped over a second kick four minutes later.
It looked as though the Cumbrians would hold the lead at the break but on 40 minutes Curtis Davies dived over from dummy half and Harris converted for a 6-4 advantage at the break.
Harris extended the lead with a 57th minute penalty and then Whitehaven were desperately unlucky not to get level but Connor Holliday dropped the ball as he tried to muscle his way over.
It was still anybody’s game until Garside scored his opportunist try late on.
