Whitehaven won back some pride with a gutsy show at Batley to earn a point from a 26-26 draw.
It was a remarkable effort for Whitehaven after they had conceded three early tries, all within seven minutes, and Batley needed a try four minutes from time to salvage the draw.
The Bulldogs had won nine of their previous ten games while Haven were only two wins from 10, yet they matched them after the dreadful start.
They had fought their way back into the game with a spirited response to cut the deficit to 14-12.
Then, after trailing 22-12 at the break, they scored first on the resumption and it proved an exciting contest for supremacy from then on.
Indeed within six minutes of the re-start they had levelled with their fourth try of the game and then Carentan Le Cam put Haven in front for the first time.
It staged 26-22 in Whitehaven’s favour through to the 76th minute when a repeat set for Batley on the visitors’ line ended with a try from Dale Morton.
Gilmore had an off day with the boot and only finished with one successful conversion, and he was wide with the one that could have won it at the death.
Whitehaven were still on the bus when Batley scored those three early tries by Luke Hooley, James Meadows and Morton, with Gilmore converting one.
Whitehaven fought back with two tries in quick succession from Ryan King both converted by Frenchman Cesar Rouge.
But Batley came back again and two unconverted tries from Morton and Jonny Campbell carried them into half-time with a 22-12 lead.
Le Cam and Andrew Bulman scored tries, both converted by Rouge, to edge Haven ahead but they just couldn’t hold on.
Morton completed his hat-trick with a flying touchdown in the corner to level for the Bulldogs.
With the last kick of the game Rouge almost won it for Haven with a 50 yard field goal attempt which went narrowly wide.
