Whitehaven cruised into the sixth round of the Challenge Cup with a comfortable 38-12 win over the York City Knights.
The West Cumbrians had virtually wrapped up their place in Monday night’s draw by half-time when they scored five tries, four of them converted, to lead 28-0.
Four of them came in the second quarter of the game after Andrew Bulman had got over in the corner after only six minutes. It was the only try which went unconverted.
It had been fairly tight for 20 minutes, apart from the Haven try but gradually the home side began to turn the screw.
In the 24th minute Nikau Williams put in a little kick for Connor Holliday to get in first and touchdown.
They scored again two minutes later when York were cut open down the middle and Ryan King burst through to score.
York’s defensive shape was all wrong four minutes later when King made the break with Geronimo Doyle in support to take the pass and go over.
Bulman appeared to have got in at the corner soon afterwards but play was brought back for a forward pass.
However on the hooter Haven scored the fifth try when Williams followed-up his own kick to get the touchdown.
James Ford surely gave his side a half-time roasting because they came-out fired-up to make amends.
Their early pressure paid off when Australian Brendan O’Hagan got over for a try which Liam Harris converted.
Certainly the performance from York was much better in the second-half but they couldn’t follow-up again until the closing seconds despite a good share of possession and territory.
It was Haven who scored in the 68th minute to kill-off any lingering hopes York might have had of staging a late fight-back.
Haven built up a strong period of pressure, with five successive sets on the York line and when a Williams kick came off an opponent Jake Moore dived in to get the touchdown. Bishop converted.
Bishop and Williams had been a lively combination at half-back throughout and they linked well to create the seventh try for Holliday three minutes from time.
The final word went to York with their second try seconds before the hooter. After a great run by Jordan Thompson, it was Joe Brown who went in for the try which Harris converted.
