And on the other hand, why should Widnes still be in SL, going on about their youth system for yonks & yesterday their average age in the forwards was a ridiculous 31 or something like that, yet they get beaten by a bunch of kids who scored 60 odd points ?

We're all experts with opinions. Maybe a bonus point in SL wouldn't give us such blowout scores ZZZZZZZZZZZZ

If you are going to reward teams for losing by less than 12 why not reward teams for winning by more than 12.. Be consistant

thats what i said.

We went up the motorway route then across via Keswick and Cockermouth to Whitehaven no problems at all lovely scenery snow topped mountains and a nice sunny day 4C in Whitehaven no snow at all on the lowlands a good day for rugby pitch was perfect.
But came back via the Dales which was okay until we hit snowdrifts blocking half the road on the Flappit and all through the outskirts of Denholme it was a bit hairy tbh in parts, amazing really a main road nearly blocked off with massive snow drifts will try get some pictures loaded.

We made the mistake of going up the Denholme way and decided it would be better coming back via the motorway.

We came back that we too. Must not have enough money Bradford council to pay for gritters/snow plows. Did not risk queensbury so went through illingworth and that was as bad. Lookely we got through would not have wanted to be stuck in illingworth

I thought we dominated the game for long periods without actually putting the points on the board again. Reality was we could have scored a lot more points than we did and apart from 5 minutes at the beginning of the 2nd half Haven didnt really trouble us much and our defence was solid.

A quick word for George Stokes who was his normal terrible self. I thought he could have given a lot more penalties than he did for both sides and some of his decisions for and against us were quite simply baffling.

As for our players, Sheriffe didnt look confident at FB and I feel unless we see an improvement in his game he will be the next player from the backs dropped as for me he has on the whole been below average all season. Patterson did ok without doing anything special. Bowman probably played his last game at centre for us. Heaton looked pretty good, his catch for his try in the first half was something special. He looks really good on our left hand side and I would play him there as I feel he could get a lot of trys for us there. I would also play Worrincy on the left as well. It seems a waste having our best winger on the side where he dosnt touch the ball. He popped up with more of the ball on the left than his normal wing. Says a lot about our attack.

Thackery had a poor first half but a really good second half, I still think we need another half back though to put a bit of pressure on him as he is guaranteed his place each week. I thought Handforth had a quiet game for a change and the same for Murrell to some extent but in been quiet he still looked pretty good.

Tonks was a monster, he showed yesterday why he is regarded by many as the best prop in the league. Bracek and a really good game as well and got through a ton of work in the absence of Ambler. I thought Divorty was steady away and again didnt really notice Casey, another who will struggle for a place when people are fit. Manning went really well again.

I thought Robinson had an off day and seems to be very hit or miss. Barlow had another decent game and seems to be hitting a bit of form. Tyrer didnt really get much of a chance but will be back in in front of Bowman I suspect and Ashall probably had one of his better games but again will struggle for a place and will have to work hard when people are fit.

Yes why not give Rob a couple of games on the left hand side.
The ball tends to go from right to left more and often there is enough space for someone with Robs pace to break clear.
Just a few years back when Rikki was with us the first time and he had his speed he was lethal down that left channel.
We have a good squad, just need that extra size in one of the centre postions to add some grunt there.

It quickly became apparent what a key player Jamie Rooney is for Haven, everything went through him, 2 short kick offs they regained the possession from, a kick off that bounced out, another one that nearly did if it wasnt for Thackeray (I think) managing to grab it before it bounced, and a 40/20. and that was just off his boot.

As someone else said Thacks had a quiet first half but was great in the second, and I think all the forwards put a good shift in, my Mrs noticed a reluctance for us to get the ball out wide and said that the lack of service to players like rob showed.

Lack of a back up fullback is apparent. Fieldhouse is a solid player there but Rikki has never been great under a high ball (remember at Widnes vs York!)

If Tony Tonks hadn't have knocked on over the line and scored to put us 14 pts in front, I reckon that would have killed the game as a contest and we may have been able to turn the screw a bit and add a few more points on to the total, but instead they went down the pitch and almost scored which kept the game alive right to the end almost.

Yesterdays game has to be noted for the defensive effort from Halifax, I think Haven had 3 repeat sets due to us conceding penalties on the 5th consecutively but we still kept them out. As well as absorbing a lot of pressure in the second half in that third of the pitch.

After the game Karl Harrison popped in the bar for a drink with some fans, and in his interview thanked all the fax fans for making the trip, describing us as a "bunch of legends". He also got a big cheer when he declared he's always thought of Whitehaven as THE Cumbrian team. Scott Murrell also popped in briefly and thanked some of us for going, and when offered a beer politely declined stating we have a game thursday.

David Seeds who spoke in Dave Woods absence was also very complimentary to the fax side.

As far as my travel experience, we left York and with the A66 been shut after Scotch Corner went to Harrogate then onto Skipton and on the road out towards the M6, quick comfort break at Devils Bridge and a coffee stop at Tebay, really couldnt believe how little snow there was up there. Came home over the A66 which was a little hairy on the highest parts with a lot of snow blowing off the fields. but with a combination of a fleet of snowplows and gritters fighting what looked to be a losing battle, and very little traffic we got over the 10 mile stretch that was bad with relative ease. Can't blame some people for been put off going though.

Attendance of 700 and something was a bit of a shock, I'm sure Whitehaven used to get twice that if not more, I panicked briefly on the approach to the ground that it had been a 2pm kick off cos there seemed to be no one about, a few years ago on the road down past that big church there used to be throngs of people walking to the game. Whats happened? I spoke with a couple of Haven fans who said that they werent happy with the dual reg thing, but what made them more unhappy was the lack of local lads in the team, and instead bringing in players from PNG and France, they said when they were top end of the championship they had 8 or 9 local lads and people identified with the team. Hope they can sort things out as Whitehaven really is a great club with some great people

you must have come up on the barrow-haven road mate been unbelievable no snow in haven i work 12 miles down the coast at sellafield no snow there yet 10 miles further down the coast there was 15-20 foot snowdrifts

This could and would be OK if the current players amend their game performances and try to appease the fans by staying focussed on what was happening when they follow the score , but it must be given a chance to show it works .

I shall be in the 3 Pigs b4 our game on April 14 when I shall try to explain what Mr Caroli meant by his post.

Later this week I will see him and if the effects of his medication have worn off by then I should be able to find out what he is talking about.

Charlie will also be in the said Public House for this match on the said date , hoping to see his Fax friends , i really enjoy the trips to Fax , always made welcome , i may even , no i WILL buy my friend Mick aka Bentleyman a drink , even Littlerich , if he shows up .

See ya all then ,Charlie .

That was the way the AA routeplanner gave me.I naively thought there was no snow in cumbria not just
Haven.6 hours in car £50 and still missed game.At least we won.