Whitehaven and Hawcoat Park went head-to-head as two of three unbeaten sides in Counties 1 Cumbria.
The result was as tight as their playing records would suggest and in the end it was a narrow 20-17 to the visitors from South Cumbria.
The win, a fourth in as many games, was the result of a prodigious workmanlike performance from the whole squad in a very tight game.
Indeed it was a rare victory up the coast for the Hawcoat side.
They had started confidently and from a line-out drive it looked as if outstanding number eight Chris Burns was about to score but had the ball dislodged over the line.
The game settled into a battle between two physical sides, who respect each other, playing hard but fair and putting in the big defence shots to try and gain the ascendancy.
From early on it was also apparent that the young Whitehaven back three of Kaleb Crosby, Harry Hufton and Zack Williams were rapid and they went on to cause problems all game.
It was Hufton who broke the deadlock with the opening try which was converted by Steve McConnell.
Midway through the half Hawcoat levelled the score.
Great work by front row stalwarts Brad Morrow and Andy Kent set up the ball for it to be moved out wide for centre Tom Roberts to pass out to full back Lewis Sayle coming into the line at pace to force his way over. Fly half Dan Lightfoot landed the conversion.
The see saw nature of the game continued and after 25 minutes good work by coach Peter Jennens earned a penalty and Lightfoot took the opportunity to edge the visitors in front with a 30 metre shot at goal.
Soon after good support play by the Whitehaven pack allowed the ball to be moved quickly out wide for Hufton to finish again in the corner.
Just before half time Hawcoat edged back in front.
Moving the ball after a sustained spell of pressure the Whitehaven fly half McConnell deliberately knocked on and was shown a yellow card. Lightfoot booted over a 30 metre penalty from in front of the posts to give them a 13-12 half-time lead.
Any thoughts Hawcoat would dominate with the extra man were soon put to bed when Whitehaven put together a good handling move to free up Crosby who beat the cover out wide and scored in the corner.
An even battle continued through the second half with real committed, and at times ferocious, tackles going in.
Skipper Jack Shannon had to leave the field with a hand injury causing a further reorganisation with full back Lewis Sayle moving to scrum half and Alex Brown from winger to full back.
Soon after Brown had to make two great covering try saving tackles.
One of the reasons for Hawcoat’s success this season has been having a strong five-man replacement bench to call upon every week.
This time the ever-willing club man Lee Van Haren came off the bench and immediately made an impact with some powerful runs. It was fitting he was the Hawcoat match-winner with their second try 15 minutes from the end.
Lewis Sayle worked the blind side for winger Jack Cartwright to make a good run and create a spell in the Whitehaven red zone.
Mike Lightfoot, who was dominant in the line-out on the end of accurate throwing in from hooker Brad Morrow went close before Van Haren showed good strength to force his way over from close range. Lightfoot booted a great conversion.
The final 15 minutes were frantic as Whitehaven, urged on by a big crowd, threw everything at their visitors to try and regain the lead but the Hawcoat defence as strong and held on.
Praising the commitment which has been a cornerstone of four straight wins, Hawcoat Park chairman John Horne added: “One of our other strengths has always been family traditions on and off the park, with brothers and father and son legacies forming the culture dovetailing with lads who learn to care about the club and creating good team spirit.
“The current camaraderie and desire to play for each other as one united squad is off the scale and great to witness – long may it continue!
“A thank you to Whitehaven who were gracious losers in a game they could have won.”
