MATCH REPORT: MIDLANDS HURRICANES 52 - 24 WHITEHAVEN RLFC (1895 CUP FIRST PRELIMINARY ROUND)

The Canes celebrate one of nine tries against Whitehaven (Credit: Andy Shaw)

Canes blow away the Cumbrians in Birmingham

Following a convincing 46-0 victory over Siddal ARLFC in the Second Round of the Challenge Cup, the Hurricanes turned their attention to the First Preliminary Round of the 1895 Cup and their first League One opponents of 2025 in Whitehaven. The Cumbrian club had defied the expectations of the rugby league community so far this pre-season, with victories over Workington Town in an annual pre-season fixture as well as a 24-12 victory over fellow League One side Swinton Lions in the Challenge Cup. Despite that positive start, a resolute and ruthless performance saw Whitehaven blown away by a Hurricanes outfit sporting no fewer than six changes from last week’s Challenge Cup squad.

The game started strongly for Midlands as a high bomb at the end of our first set earned us a scrum as the Haven winger could not deal with the pressure of an oncoming Matty Hanley. From the resulting scrum we scored on the first play as hands from right to left found Travis Corion in space to slide over for a try on his competitive debut for the Canes (4-0). Jake Sweeting - renowned for his kicking - nailed a stunning conversion from out wide (6-0). Just three minutes later the Canes doubled their lead as a stunning high bomb from Sweeting was plucked out the air by Matty Hanley who went on to drift past his opposite number to cross the visitor’s try-line (10-0). Jake Sweeting doubled his account from the kicking tee (12-0).

Travis Corion slides over for our first try of the afternoon (Credit: Andy Shaw)

The Midlands momentum continued for the next five to six minutes and, in truth, the Canes could have gone three scores ahead. However, it was the visitors took advantage of back-to-back sets and some ill-discipline from the home side to open their account, with Ellis Nixon taking advantage of a gap created by Sam Bowring remaining down in back-play (12-4). Kieran Tyrer went on to nail the conversion from left of the sticks (12-6).

Despite that initial hiccup, normal service was resumed a little over five minutes later as further Canes pressure saw the ball shift from left to right and eventually find its way to Tom Wilkinson, who squeezed through the Haven defence and slotted the ball down on the right edge (16-6). Jake Sweeting once again nailed the conversion from out wide and we regained a two-score lead (18-6). After six to seven minutes of continued pressure on the Haven line, a near carbon-copy of Wilkinson’s try saw some quick hands to the right edge find Ross Oakes who crashed over the Haven defence to score (22-6). Sweeting proceeded to go four from four from the kicking tee (24-6).

From the resulting return set, a collector’s item presented itself as Ryan Johnson - unexpectedly finding himself with the ball on the last play - opted to kick a grubber that bounced over a bamboozled Haven winger and force the visitors to concede a goal-line drop out. With another set on the Haven line, the Canes exploited the visitor’s right edge defence as Matty Hanley found himself in space and leapt into the right hand corner for his second of the afternoon (28-6). Despite his best efforts, Sweeting could not keep his 100% kicking record as an effort from out wide glided just wide of the sticks.

Both sides came close to adding to their accounts in the dying moments of the first half, but the score remained unchanged following Hanley’s brace as the sides went into the changing rooms.

Half-time: Midlands Hurricanes 28-6 Whitehaven

Jake Sweeting finishes off a nice effort created by Matty Hanley (Credit: Andy Shaw)

The second half started as strongly as the first for the Hurricanes, with our first set ending with a sublime high bomb from Jake Sweeting being gathered once again by Matty Hanley, who shook off a flailing Whitehaven defence before offloading back to Sweeting who gratefully dotted the ball down (32-6) before converting his own effort from right of the sticks (34-6).

After a few more minutes, it quickly looked like the Canes might run way with the game. Whilst Haven had an opportunity to get their second following a scrum from the Midlands line, a quick dart out of the line from Ross Oakes saw him intercept a delayed pass before offloading to Jake Sweeting, who danced around a retreating Haven defence before passing out wide to Travis Corion who raced away down the left and made his way under the sticks to score (38-6). Sweeting coupled his own assist with a further two points from in front of the posts as we hit the forty-point mark (40-6).

Just five minutes later, another interception opportunity saw young full-back Todd Horner collect a wide pass from Whitehaven near the right edge before sprinting 90+ metres to score (44-6). Jake Sweeting once again added two points from the kicking tee (46-6). The Hurricanes went on to hit their half-century just three minutes later as Ross Oakes once again found himself the lucky recipient of some scintillating passing that allowed him to squeeze over and score in the right hand corner, making him the third player to score two tries this game (50-6). Undeterred by another daunting kick from out wide, Jake Sweeting nailed a beautiful kick from out wide that sailed between the posts (52-6).

Todd Horner races away after intercepting a pass on the Hurricanes line (Credit: Andy Shaw)

The final 15 minutes saw a late revival from the visitors, with three tries in eight minutes earning Whitehaven some pride and perhaps belying some complacency with the game seemingly wrapped up. The first of these saw ex-Coventry Bears loanee Brad Brennan barged over from close range following a short pass just before the 70-minute mark (52-10), with Jay Weatherill converting from left of the posts (52-12). In the very next set Whitehaven scored what would certainly be a contender for try of the game, with Weatherill finishing off some smooth play from right to left to score under the sticks (52-16) and converting his own effort (52-18).

With their tails up and some pride restored, Whitehaven went on to score their third in quick succession as a deft grubber found Mason Lewthwaite who turned his body to resist the Canes defence and score down the left edge (52-22). Once again, Weatherill was on hand to add the extras (52-24). Haven almost bagged a fifth in the dying moments as another pointed grubber saw Matty Hanley forced to kick the ball dead to concede a goal-line drop-out, but the Canes held out and opted to kick the ball out following a penalty on the hooter to draw a close on proceedings.

Sunday’s victory is the Canes first ever win over Whitehaven and once again represents a historic moment for the club, although credit should be given to a gutsy Whitehaven team that has gone through a substantial rebuild this season and will no doubt upset a number of teams this year. It has also earned the club an away tie with Keighley Cougars in the Second Preliminary Round - to be played the weekend of 15/16 February - with the Canes already knowing that victory in Keighley would see them earn a trip to Post Office Road to take on Featherstone Rovers in the First Round Proper.

Full-time: Midlands Hurricanes 52-24 Whitehaven

Try-scorers:
Travis Corion (2), Matty Hanley (2), Tom Wilkinson, Jake Sweeting, Todd Horner and Ross Oakes (2)

Conversions:
Jake Sweeting (8/9)

Man of the Match:
Elliott Morris (Sponsored by GLR Energy Ltd)

Scoring Sequence:
4-0, 6-0, 10-0, 12-0, 12-4, 12-6, 16-6, 18-6, 22-6, 24-6, 28-6, 32-6, 34-6, 38-6, 40-6, 44-6, 46-6, 50-6, 52-6, 52-10, 52-12, 52-16, 52-18, 52-22 and 52-24.