Whitehaven’s scramble to stay in the Betfred Championship will go down to the last match of the season.
For the second time recently, in a key relegation battle, Whitehaven were beaten by a late drop goal.
Their defeat by Barrow came with a last-gasp effort from Ryan Johnston and at Swinton Jordy Gibson popped one over from 40 yards five minutes from the end.
It gave Swinton a 21-20 victory and means, that ahead of the final fixtures at the weekend Whitehaven, Keighley and Swinton are all locked on 16 points.
Keighley had also been beaten by a drop goal, going down 23-22 at home to Halifax.
They all have tough fixtures with Haven playing first on Saturday at home to second in the table Toulouse Olympique.
On Sunday Swinton are away to Halifax while Keighley travel to London Broncos.
If all three lose it will go down to points differential which at the moment is remarkably close.
Whitehaven are minus 318 with Keighley and Swinton both on minus 323 so every point conceded at the week-end is going to be crucial.
After a cagey start, in which mistakes were common, Whitehaven had broken the deadlock on 21 minutes when Dave Eccleston cut inside past the last defender to score an unconverted try.
Swinton had enjoyed more possession and territory than their visitors but seven minutes later they were in front.
Gibson, who was later voted their Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season showed his class by driving through a gap for the try which ex-Whitehaven player Dan Abram converted.
But Whitehaven were back in front on 33 minutes when a long pass found Curtis Teare out wide and he dived over for the try which was converted from the touchline by Josh Rourke.
It looked as though Whitehaven were taking charge when they scored again on 36 minutes. This time it was Dion Aiye who showed good footwork and then strength to get over for a try under the posts which Rourke converted.
But crucially Swinton scored again right on half-time following a Whitehaven goal-line drop-out. Kenny Baker charged over from close range and Abram converted.
The 16-12 half-time lead was erased within four minutes of the re-start. Two errors in quick succession gave Swinton a scrum .in front of the posts.
George Roby, on loan with Haven early in the season, went right before feeding Gibson who did the rest for his second try, converted by Abram.
On 49 minutes Abram extended the lead with a penalty from 30 metres.
Whitehaven re-grouped and on 56 minutes they were back on terms. Eccleston leapt high to take a kick to the corner and plunge over the line. The kick was missed.
Both teams went close to a crucial try after that but the score that settled it was Gibson’s drop goal on 75 minutes – to leave all three clubs sweating on the outcome of the final game.
Barrow Raiders are surely safe, although they would join Newcastle Thunder for the drop if they lose at home to York on Sunday and the other three – Haven, Keighley and Swinton all win.
Raiders were disappointing on Saturday when they lost 36-24 at the already-relegated Newcastle Thunder.
Coach Paul Crarey said: “We didn’t give ourselves a chance. We went eight sets to two down, they had a mountain of possession and we got drawn into a physical battle with Wood and Broadbent being sin-binned. They upset us a little bit and we fell right into their trap.
“We tried to recover in the second half but we came up with some really big defensive errors which is unlike us.
“I thought that we were off – at half time I said to the players that we’re off in all aspects of the game, all of the things that Newcastle were good at, and then we came out in the second half and we were 20 nil down after five minutes.
“Then we got our act together and started playing a bit of rugby with some nice tries and then we pressed the self-destruct button again and they scored two breakaway tries that took the game away from us.
“We’re at the back end of the season. We’re bruised, battered and busted and yet we’re still competing.”
The Barrow tries were scored by Andrew Bulman (2), Adam Jackson and Luke Broadbent, Ryan Shaw converted all four.
