2002

The year PC guided Haven into the First Division
Below are just some of the highs and lows of 2002... Don't forget you can always browse our match reports files...

Chorley dealt with to put us in Top Division
Haven 52 (34-1)25 Chorley

Haven now have 31 points in contrast to Town's 26 and Barrow's 23 in the Cumbrian NFP honours. To see the full tables go here..
Howard Hill was Man of the Match with a hat-trick of tries as Haven dominated the first half. Patel floated over a drop goal for the Lankies only first half point.The rest of the half it was one-way traffic as Lester ran in a hat-trick of tries and Garry Purdham, Howard Hill and Leroy Joe also crossed.Steve Kirkbride converted five of them. they increased their lead with further tries by Hill, David Seeds and Graeme Morton. In the second half Hill got his third.
Dragons Not even on the ScoreBoard!
Paul Cullen had left champagne behind the bar for the lads if they won and they earned their champers with a rampant 56-0 win. Full details shortly plus action pictures , some underwater! Man of Match Seedsy seen here ready to dive in literally...Full details

Exit for Paul Cullen
August 14 2002
As was long feared, Warrington have offered Paul Cullen the job of Coach. He could not refuse...Peter Smith takes over with help from Peter Roe.

Haven win over Barrow
Whitehaven's 26-6 home win against Barrow ended the run of defeats. Whitehaven tries thanks to Chris McKinney, Mark Wallace, Leigh Smith and Lee Kiddie. Steve Kirkbride converted all the tries and kicked a penalty.

Pelican Blue
Batley 15-6 Haven
To quote a certain Whitehaven school head, a "pathetic" performance from Haven after holding to a 6 point lead at half-time. The sole try from Aaron Lester, converted by Steve Kirkbride...

Why oh Why?
Rochdale 30 (8-16) 28 Haven
We thought we had it in the bag when Lee Kiddie scored to make it 24-28 in the dying minutes, but then Rochdale did a Jackson break away to rob Haven.. Cox had a great game and Sturm proved his worth, but the last minutes beggar belief. Tries from: Cox ,Purdham, Joe, Kiddie
Saved from Farce
Haven 20(10-6)17 Oldham

Awash with talent Haven came within a whisker of ridiculously throwing the game away. But even as despondent fans left Rob Jackson proved the fittest man on the pitch as he ran the length of the Recre to give Haven a desperately needed win.

For much of the game Haven were the stronger side, but their play often failed to gel and although he got Man of the Match and the opening try, Warren Stevens was among those making errors. Steve Kirkbride converted this first, but he failed to convert Spence Miller's second try.
In the second period Leroy Joe saved one crucial defence break by Oldham, but soon after Leigh Smith did not have the legs to complete a break through. Haven should have hammered home their domination of much of the play. But the game hung in the balance until Lester furiously burrowed his way across the line and it seemed as Haven would atrt to get their ryhthm. But it was soon thrown to the winds as former Saints man Joey Jones nipped in on the right wing. Then the normally reliable Howard Hill let the Oldham left winger through to leave it a grim 16-16. Soon after Oldham got a blazingly obvious drop goal and all seemed lost. But then the Kells End had their final joy as Rob Jackson out ran the entire Oldham pack.
NB This Sunday against Rochdale is an away fixture....

McAlpine Blues
Full-Time
86-10 to Huddersfield...

Better than the World Cup!
Haven13 (4-12) 12 Leigh
Action shots...
IT was a more exciting than the World Cup. Haven and Leigh were both determined to win and Haven had to dig deep, especially in defence to successfully hold the line.
The two Jackson's proved vital. New arrival Rob for the try that levelled the scores in the second half battle and our own Marc for the killer drop goal that gave us victory.
Man of the Match was well earned by Warren Stevens, but many deserved equal praise, starting with the ever active and alert Leroy Joe. Morton also enjoyed an excellent game as did powerhouse Lupton. Also welcome back to the unstoppable Howard Hill. If only the ball had got out to him more the scoreline would have been a more relaxing one for Haven. Lester was only firing on three cylinders in the first half, but got back onto full speed in the crucial second half. But all in all Haven were as good as Brazil when and where it matters.
Full action pix
Cullen encourages RL youngsters
Haven organised a successful RL Fest for local primary children on June 27, click on the picture to see larger views of the day's fun...



The Boys are Back!
Haven had a double whammy, beating Town 60-6 in the Academy and then the first team beat Hull KR 20-5...featuring tries from Leigh Smith, Seeds (Welcome Back!) and Fats...Conversions from Steve Kirkbride and bonus penalty goal from Paul O'Neil.
M of Match award well earned by Leroy Joe. Pictures from the game....

Also See the team picture from the St Pats win over Jericho in the interval game.

Bad Vibes
Oldham 46-12 Haven
Aaron red carded early in first half and Haven's 12 remaining men turned over at Oldham. Scoring tries for Haven were Dean Vaughan, Graham Morton and Ryan Campbell. Ref. Silverwood.

Haven stuck in the centre
Haven 26(16-6)34 Swinton
Full action pix .
Just not Good Enough
Town 30- 14 Haven

The wind was behind the home side in the first half and Haven were missing Lester, Hill, Seeds and other key players. But there were no excuses for a poor showing.
At half time (20-2)the only points on the board for Haven were from a penalty kick by Steve Kirkbride. In the second half Leroy Joe kept starting moves but the run of play just would not gel for Whitehaven. Lee Kiddie gained a try thanks to an opening by Kirkbride. Kirkbride converted. But then Samuel responded for Town. Leroy Joe made a well earned try and Kirkbride again converted, but that was where any come back hopes ended. Page of Action pix

Hope killed by two drop goals

Hull 22(16-8) 20 Haven

Cheered on by a strong army of fans Haven dominated much of this game but were certainly not helped by doubtful decisions by match officials.
Haven opened the scoring with a try from Leroy Joe courtesy of Seeds...Hull responded thanks to McLaren but soon after Leroy Joe set up another winning move for Seeds to touchdown on the 19th minute. (4-8)Then Hull took chances and help from the ref to score two tries and a conversion to see the scorleine 16-8 to Hull at the whistle.

In the second half Hull's Kane made a couple of drop kicks, which later proved vital. David Fatialofa bulldozed thru for a Haven try which Kirkbride converted. And in the dying minutes Steve Kirkbride took a ball from Joe and scored a try, which he converted. But it was too late..

Haven from: McKinney, Cunningham, Fats, Joe, Morton, L.Smith, Jackson, Miller, Stevens, Hill, Kirkbride, O'Neill, Purdham, Wallace.

Nail Biting Second Half.

Whitehaven 23 (22-4) 22 Barrow

It took the golden boot of Steve Kirkbride following a grabbed opportunity from David Fatialofa to end a second half of heart stopping palpitations for the Haven fans. Go to our page of action pictures...

A sunny first half almost started to look like a romp for the home side, but then Barrow came out of the changing rooms for the second half and seemed to leave the Haven defences snatching at shirt tails. There were several lucky escapes for Haven as Cameron Bell's team fought back in this end to end quarter finals of the Buddies-sponsored competition. Haven had nine players are sidelined through injury. Tries from Leigh Smith, Steve Kirkbride, Aaron Lester, Kirkbride and Tony Cunningham. Steve Kirkbride kicked three conversions and the drop goal that snatched the points just a minute before the hooter.

Haven:O'Neill, Wallace, Miller, Hill, Smith, Joe, Kirkbride, Warren, Jackson, Fatialofa, Purdham, Morton, Lester, Kiddie, Cunningham, Vaughan,Stevens.

National Cup only draws a crowd of 270
Poor showing by Haven in front of a crowd that shows a lack of interest in the Cup contest.
Swinton 29-20 Haven
Tries for Haven from Lester, Lee Kiddie, David Fatialofa and Ian Devlin. Kirkbride making only two of the conversions.

Next Please!
Haven 26 (10-6) 16 Barrow
Try scorers: Seeds, Hill (2), Purdham, Joe. Kirkbride kicked three conversions and Aaron Lester was Man of the Match. Paul Cullen's verdict was that he was happy with the result but not the performance. "Fans pay good money and deserve to see better.''
Haven:O'Neil, Wallace, Seeds, Hill, L.Smith(Devlin)Joe, Kikrbride, Cox(G.Smith, Cunningham) Jackson, Stevens (Fatialofa)Purdham, Morton and Lester.

Crowd:1,015.

"Easy"
Haven 35-(18-12)18 Leigh

Good enough for Sky
Haven are providing such classy play these days they have reached the Sky screens....There was a TV camera from SKY TV at Sunday's game.
Highlights( Brief ones probably) will be shown on Skys RL World Magazine programme which goes out on Wednesday evening at 6.00 pm on Sky sports 3

Go to our page of action shots.and match details....

Seeds record breaker
as Haven totally dominate Batley
Tries run in as Haven welcomed new arrivals Hutton (one try) and the Big Fella Warren Stevens. Finals score 46-10
See our pic of David Seeds heading for his record breaking try and more action shots from the win...