Leroy Returns & we start winning

By Dave Farrell
Date: 11/1/2001

The Rugby League have accepted the return of Leroy Joe after tense talks on Monday. And he got a run out as Haven had the nervously anticipated victory over lowly Chorley...onwards and upwards from now on lads!

At Last...some points!

Haven 28 - 4 Chorley Lynx

At last we can all breathe a sigh of relief ,after a run of five consecutive defeats Whitehaven got back to winning ways with a convincing 28 pts to 4 win over Chorley.
Good news for the Haven faithful was that the Leroy Joe situation had been resolved with the Rugby League and he made his belated return to the club as substitute ,Howard Hill moving from the bench into the second row to replace the injured Craig Chambers,apart from that the Haven were unchanged from the team that lost narrowly at Barrow on Sunday
Whitehaven started were they left off at Barrow made a positive opening to the game .They took the game to the visitors in the opening twenty minutes and scored three trys the first from Chris Campbell who was on hand to score after a defender had spilled a Lee Kiddie Bomb,the second from Graeme Morton who took a short pass from Kiddie to score from 10 yards The third from Lee Kiddie who sprinted in from 35 yards supporting a break from Spencer Miller who had an outstanding first half, with Steven Kirkbride adding the goal points , the Haven held a commanding 18-nil lead at half time.At the break Leroy replaced Steven Kirkbride at scrum half.
In the second period Chorley came more into the game with the Haven making a series of unforced errors . It was no suprise when they scored a try from winger Cookson . They could have reduced the arrears further but had a try disallowed for obstruction and for a few anxious minutes comeback looked possible.
Thankfully in the last quarter of the game the Haven re-asserted their superiority to add further trys through Aaron Lester and David Seeds significantly Leroy had a big hand in both scores and generally looked very creative with the ball in his hands Wesley Wilson added a goal the Haven ran out comfortable winners winners by 28 -4 , and send their supporters home in better heart than of late.
Still some improvement to come but on the evidence of this game we are starting to get it together , the introduction of Leroy Joe could provide that extra spark we have been lacking while Spencer Millers first half display was awesome: he really put himself about ! Lee Kiddie was probing for openings all night though he spoiled some good work with a poor final pass.
The best player over the full 80 minutes probably Dave Fatialofa who made ground every time he took the ball up.
Match sponsors Washington
Haven: Wilson, Walsh, Seeds, Devlin, Campbell, Kiddie, Kirkbride, Cox, Lester, Fatiolofa, Hill, Morton, Miller. Subs: Joe, G.Purdham, Bone, Vaughan.
Attendance:600 plus.