Whitehaven paid the price for a sloppy start against Bradford Bulls as they slipped to a 34-22 home defeat.
They were 18-0 down in the first quarter of the game and although they staged a spirited finale came up short.
To add to the west Cumbrians’ problems Callum Phillips was stretchered off ten minutes from the end with a serious-looking leg injury.
In that opening burst Bradford laid the platform for their victory with three tries.
Joe Burton got the first when he chased a kick from Lilley and got there first. Dec Patton landed the first of his five goals.
Then it was a punt from Patton which was pouched by Elliot Kear to go in for the second.
Whitehaven were unable to gain a substantial foothold in the game and just over the 20-minute mark Bradford scored again when Jordan Lilley sliced through too easily to score under the posts.
Whitehaven had a chance to get back into it when Ebon Scurr was sin-binned for a tip tackle on Dion Aiye.
It was Aiye who got Haven moving on the half hour mark when he charged over for their opening try which Nikau Williams converted.
But then the hosts lost control again. A flowing move put Burton in for his second try and just before the hooter Tom Doyle burrowed over for the fifth Bradford try.
Trailing 28-6 at the break it left Jonty Gorley’s men with a mountain to climb in the second half. They won it 16-6 but that was no consolation.
Indeed the resumption had started badly for Haven with Scurr diving over on last tackle after only six minutes.
Aiye again started the scoring for Haven when he crossed on 49 minutes for an unconverted try.
Haven needed quick points but they had to wait until the 66th minute for Tom Walker to crash over and Williams added the extras.
Three minutes later a fine Whitehaven move finished-off by Liam Cooper and converted by Williams gave a glimmer of hope.
Then when Hull FC loanee Harvey Barron was on a powerful run to the line, and looked a certain scorer, an ankle-tap tackle saved the day for Bradford.
Seconds later Phillips suffered his injury and after the lengthy delay Haven could not fully regain their momentum and Bradford held on to the win.
