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Action pictures can be purchased from photographer Mike McKenzie
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No way through in the Mud for Blackpool 62 (36-0) 0 Carnegie Challenge Cup 2007 - Third Round March 4 2007  Haven
had 62 points on the board after visiting Blackpool left empty
handed. Hat Tricks for both Calvert and Rudd. Tries also from
Scott McAvoy, Maden (2), Sice, Duffy and Aaron Smith.WHITEHAVEN thrashed Blackpool amassing twelve unanswered tries. Unlike just seven days earlier, Haven were white hot, scoring 36 points in 30 minutes, and there was nothing Blackpool could do about it. After Blackpool kicked off Haven used six tackles to drive to the half-way line, from where John Duffy kicked deep into the Blackpool half. The Panthers player fumbled and Scott McAvoy, who had raced up after the kick, took full advantage, gathering the ball and sliding over, Carl Rudd added the extras. The Panthers restarted proceedings with a deep kick-off, but it only took a big charge up the middle from Scott Teare and suddenly they were under pressure again. McAvoy made a powerful burst, shrugging off a defender before shipping the ball wide to Steve Maden. Maden chipped the ball over his opposite number, Mark Leigh, and then won the foot race to touch down. Rudd's conversion drifted wide, but Blackpool looked dishevelled, 10-0 down with just four minutes on the clock. The visitors struggled to get anything going and it came as no real surprise when Whitehaven scored a third try on nine minutes, this time from Craig Calvert. 
It was Teare again who made a strong break up the middle of the
park before Rob Jackson took the ball on and span the ball wide
to Calvert and the wingman raced away to score. Rudd's touchline
conversion sailed wide. Calvert was at his prolific best and
three minutes later grabbed his second try. Richard Fletcher
was released by a superb Duffy ball, and made a solid charge
forward, breaking the line. With just full back Chris Brand to
beat he unselfishly gave the ball to Calvert outside him for
a try which Rudd failed to convert.Whitehaven were in full flow and looking unstoppable, the Panthers had no answer to the awesome power of Teare and Fletcher, which was creating space for the likes of McAvoy to run the ragged. Next to add his name to the scoresheet was Aaron Smith (19), who owed his try to some individual brilliance from Duffy. Duffy dipped his shoulder and sold a dummy 20 metres out, then raced away before giving Smith the ball close to the posts, this time Rudd was able to tag on the two. Teare was in sensational form, and it was again a huge hole that he had made in the Blackpool defence that led to Whitehaven's next try, this time Carl Rudd crossing after Teare had left defenders trailing in his wake. Rudd converted his own score to leave Haven 30-0 with just 26 minutes gone. Four minutes later they were in again, and once more it was Teare who caused havoc in the Blackpool defence, very nearly charging over himself close to the posts before somehow getting the ball away to Steve Trindall, who was never going to be stopped from two metres out. Rudd converted. After that Teare took a well earned rest, and while he was off the field in the ten minutes leading up to half time, Haven didn't added to their impressive tally. It didn't take long after the interval for Calvert to complete his hat-trick. Duffy caught Brand and Anton Garcia cold when he kicked on the third and Calvert reacted quickly, hacking the ball on before touching it down. Rudd added an impressive touchline conversion. On 48 minutes the visitors went a little crazy, giving away four penalties in as many play-the-balls, and leaving referee Robert Hicks no option but to send the fourth offender, Jon Chamberlin, to the sin-bin. A minute later Whitehaven registered try number nine, when Maden was first to get to a Rudd kick for a score which Rudd was unable to convert. The points were coming thick and fast and on 52 minutes Whitehaven scored again. Rudd released McAvoy and he made a powerful surge, before getting the ball away to Maden. It looked like he Maden might be in for his hat-trick but he chose instead to play the ball back inside, and it went loose of a Blackpool hand. While those around him stood and watched, seemingly waiting for the referee's whistle, Carl Sice carried on, picking up the loose ball and crossing the whitewash, for a try which was awarded after a quick chat between referee and touch judge, Rudd missed the conversion attempt. The muddy conditions then were really starting to take the toll with both sides coming up with handling errors. It descended into a bit of a scrap and the attacking flair and high tempo of the Whitehaven attack slowed up, as conditions became heavier and heavier. They weren't finished altogether though and Rudd grabbed two more tried to claim his hat-trick. First his high kick found its way back to him from Fletcher and he slid in (65) and then on 69 minutes he finished a move involving Duffy and McAvoy. He converted both. This wasn't a day for great rugby, but Whitehaven showed a determination which was has been lacking so far this season, and will have pleased coach Dave Rotheram and the supporters. Simon Knox, his Blackpool counterpart, on the other had will struggle to take many positives. Haven, Gary Broadbent, Craig Calvet, Scott McAvoy, Rob Jackson, Steve Maden, Carl Rudd, John Duffy, Steve Trindall, Graeme Mattinson, Scott Teare, Spencer Miller, Richard Fletcher, Aaron Smith. SUBS (all used) Carl Sice, Leroy Joe, Marc Jackson, Howard Hill. Tries, McAvoy (2) Maden (4, 49) Calvert (9, 12, 44) Smith (19) Rudd (26, 55, 69) Trindall (30) Sice (52) Goals, Rudd, 7/12. Sin Bin, Chamberlin for interference. Att: 1,004 Ref, Robert Hicks (Oldham) Pens for, Haven 10-6 Blackpool. Match report and team pic. Gary Broadbent had a hat-trick for Haven, with further tries from Rob Jackson, Craig Calvert and Scott Teare. Carl Rudd added four goals from six attempts.  Carl's touchdown against Wigan |
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