Another poor 40 minutes cost Whitehaven again as they went down 40-16 at home to York City Knights.
The fact that his side won the second half 16-10 will be of no consolation to coach Jonty Gorley.
The damage had been done in that first half when York scored five converted tries against a hesitant and erratic Whitehaven side.
The first-half was a nightmare for Whitehaven and they could not argue with the 0-30 score-line after a dominant display by the Knights.
It started badly for the hosts with the visitors going ahead after only five minutes after intense pressure on the home line. Jordan Thompson powered over from short range under the sticks and Jamie Ellis put over the conversion.
More strong York pressure produced a goal-line drop-out which the Knights ran back strongly and Pauli Pauli fed Ellis who spun out of a tackle to score, adding the conversion hi9mself.
Whitehaven briefly did enjoy some possession and on two occasions last kicks from new French half-back Cesar Rouge and Nikau Williams did cause some problems but were well defended in the end.
On 17 minutes, however, York scored again. From a scrum the ball was moved smartly wide right where AJ Towse finished in the corner. Ellis landed a fine touchline conversion.
Towse scored his second try on 27m minutes with an acrobatic finish in the corner after Chris Clarkson had provided him with the gap and again Ellis converted from wide out.
Whitehaven built up a head of steam towards the end of the half and York had some serious defending to do. Yet it was the Knights who scored the final try of the half on 37 minutes.
Bailey Antrobus got away from deep inside his own half to virtually go the length of the field and score the fifth York try which Ellis converted.
Whitehaven needed a quick score if they were to get anywhere near their visitors after giving them a 30 point start – and they got one.
Good momentum in the early exchanges ended with Dave Eccleston diving over in the corner but Williams could not convert.
Whitehaven, though, weren’t helping their cause with a series of knock-ons which let York off the hook and they couldn’t make further inroads.
It was York who actually scored next on the hour when a cut out pass put Joe Brown in for an unconverted try in the corner.
Haven finally got over again but much too late to make an impact. A grubber from Rouge was gathered by King to get the ball down for the try which Rouge converted.
York came again though and on 74 minutes Brendan O’Hagan dummied his way over for the try which Liam Harris converted.
In the final minute King got over for his second try, again converted by Rouge, but York were able to go home with their first victory at Whitehaven since 1992.
