Whitehaven were turned over in the second-half by a rampant Bradford Bulls side after the Cumbrians had deservedly led at the break.
From 18-10 down at half-time the Bulls scored 34 unanswered second-half points for a 44-18 victory in the Betfred Championship.
The one consolation for Jonty Gorley’s men, and the club, was that the game was watched by 1,257 fans, above the break-even figure which the directors have been calling for.
This was as dramatic a game of two halves – with all Whitehaven’s good work up to the interval undone by what happened afterwards.
Whitehaven made a fine start with a try on four minutes when Connor Holliday spun out of a tackle to dive over and Josh Rourke converted.
When they scored again on seven minutes coach Gorley knerw he couldn’t have asked for a better start. This time it was Dion Aiye who charged over under the sticks for Rourke to add his second conversion.
But Bradford were on the score-sheet after 12 minutes when James Segeyaro saw enough room to get through a gap and dive over for the try which Dec Patton converted.
The Bulls had a try from Ben Blackmore ruled out for a forward pass on 18 minutes and two minutes later Whitehaven scored their third try. This time it was Ryan King who stretched out to get the ball down. Rourke converted for 18-6.
But that was it for Haven. They didn’t add another point in the last hour and Bradford, who reduced the arrears before half-time with an unconverted try by Blackmore, went on to run away with the game in the second-half.
Keven Appo got the ball rolling for them after 48 minutes with Patton adding the conversion and a penalty from Paton put them level on 51 minutes.
Whatever had been said at half-time the Bulls had the bit between their teeth, looking much sharper, stronger and positive than they had been in the first.
They got in front for the first time after 62 minutes when Kieran Gill crossed and soon afterwards Masi Matonga was next on the score-sheet as Whitehaven’s resistance started to crumble.
Chester Butler (69), AJ Williams (72) and Patton (79) completed the scoring for a Bradford side who had turned the game round completely.Rampant
