By Martin Morgan

Last updated 20:14, Monday, 15 September 2008

Halifax 22 Whitehaven 24: Whitehaven have at least one more chapter to write in their fairytale end to the season after yesterday’s phenomenal NL1 play-off win.

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Haven prop Ryan McDonald powers into the Halifax line

Haven claimed their second knockout tie on the road in eight days against more fancied opposition, and while last week’s victory at Leigh was hugely-impressive, this win at the Shay was on another level.

Pacey Fax went in to the match boasting NL1’s leading attack, and it was easy to see why in the early exchanges.

They were always willing to probe out wide in search of a gap, while full-back Miles Greenwood proved a constant threat wherever he popped up.

Scrum-half Ben Black, so effective in last week’s opening knockout win over Widnes, was again busy. And his half-back partner Graham Holroyd also came to the fore, with his superb kicking game.

It was a tribute to Haven that they limited the hosts to only four tries.

Teenager Gregg McNally will hog the Haven headlines for his three tries, and rightly so. The kid is surely destined for the top. But it was once again a terrific team effort, with fantastic spirit evident from the start.

Haven were perhaps prepared to chance their arm more than usual, but they were also still heavily-reliant on their sturdy pack, led by Karl Edmondson and Ryan McDonald. While Ade Adebisi notched the 21st try of his terrific debut campaign.

Fax started quickly and looked to take advantage when a clearly groggy Spencer Miller was penalised for failing to play-the-ball correctly. Winger Lee Patterson went over out wide only to be pulled back for a forward pass.

The hosts snatched the lead on six minutes after James Haley and Richard Varkulis broke from deep.

Sean Penkwicz continued the move but was collared by Broadbent. Later in the set, Holroyd put Greenwood between the sticks, the stand-off converting.

Fax had the better of the early moments, but when a loose pass went to ground on 13 minutes, McNally swooped, showing impressive pace to hold off the cover on an 80 metre sprint to the corner.

Tane Manihera missed the conversion attempt but more than made up for it with a try-saving tackle on Black on the Haven line.

Wigan loanee Mark Flanagan increased the Fax lead on 32 minutes, capitalising on Holroyd’s break. Little was Holroyd to know that his missed conversion attempt - the ball hit an upright and bounced out - would be significant later in the game.

The Yorkshiremen looked to have taken charge from the re-start, Greewood putting Black in to space for a long-range try, but a touch judge had spotted a forward pass.

The game then swung dramatically, as Fax were penalised on the next set for interference. Haven opted to run the penalty and Leroy Joe put McNally in under the posts for his second try.

The scrum-half was on hand to take a peach of a pass from the stand-in hooker, releasing the ball as he fell in the tackle. Manihera’s conversion levelled matters, though two fine kicks from Holroyd, forcing first Broadbent and then McNally to knock the ball to safety over the sidelines, showed there was plenty to play for.

Fax made Haven pay for a spilled ball in the opening seconds of the second-half, a fine set taking them virtually to the whitewash before Dana Wilson touched down Black’s slide-rule kick.

Holroyd goaled, but the lead was to remain intact for only two minutes, Adebisi stealing a ball in the tackle and charging over for a try that silenced the Fax faithful but which had Haven’s large travelling support in raptures, especially when Manihera slotted the conversion.

Lee Patterson did well to deny his opposite number though he was only delaying the inevitable, with the Joe/McNally partnership again bearing fruit, the youngster latching on to Joe’s bomb to bring up his hat-trick, Manihera goaling.

The lead lasted seven minutes, prop Paul Southern powering over from close-range for another Fax try.

And the hosts then stepped up their game, with Broadbent, as ever, a safe last line of defence for the Cumbrians.

The turning point came when Varkulis was tackled behind his line, and on 71 minutes Manihera stepped up for a drop-goal to edge his side 23-22 up.

Holroyd’s bullet re-start rebounded forward off Broadbent’s arm, gifting Fax one set, and then another, deep in Haven territory, amid almost unbearable tension.

Greenwood crossed out wide, only to be brought back for obstruction, and hooker Mark Gleeson then appeared to cross the whitewash, only to be held up by the valiant defence.

There was still time for Broadbent and Varkulis to collide horribly, as they both went for Holroyd’s chip. The Haven man was flattened but it was a small price to pay. Without his intervention, the big centre may well have scored.

Marc Jackson nonchalantly slotted Haven’s second drop goal, yet as the hooter sounded, Fax were still probing, looking for a try that would have put them in to a semi-final at Salford.

It was not to be and jubilant Haven celebrated. In this form they may yet put the wind up the Willows – and watching City Reds boss Shaun McRae – on Thursday night.

Match Facts

Haven: Broadbent, Calvert, R Jackson, Patrick, Adebisi, McNally, Manihera, Edmondson, Joe, Fatialofa, Miller, Gorski, Makisi. Subs: Barker, Shackley, McDonald, M Jackson.

Tries: McNally 3, Adebisi

Goals: Manihera 3. Drop-goals Manihera 1, M Jackson 1

Halifax: Greenwood, Patterson, Goddard, Varkulis, Haley, Holroyd, Black, Southern, Gleeson, Wrench, Flanagan, Smith, Royston. Subs: Penkywicz, Heaton, Wilson, Watene.

Tries: Greenwood, Flanagan, Wilson, Southern

Goals: Holroyd 3

Attendance: 2,302

Referee: Richard Silverwood

Star Man: Gregg McNally