Dewsbury lose their unbeaten league run

The visitors did not look like a side yet to gain a Championship point and they made the breakthrough after just six minutes when Simon Ainscough squeezed over in the right hand corner.

Whitehaven doubled their lead on 12 minutes when a sweeping backs move allowed Jordan Burns to dive over untouched for an unconverted try.

Dewsbury responded when Greg Scott found enough space to dive over in the corner and Burns added his second try benefiting when Jessie Joe Parker proved too powerful to handle.

A defence-splitting pass from Neil Thorman sent Lee Mitchell racing in, Southernwood converting for a 20-4 half-time lead.

Dale Morton crashed over out wide in the 58th minute, Hemingway converting.

Whitehaven opted for two points when the Rams were penalised near their line and Southernwood converted the penalty for a 22-10 lead.

But late drama ensued when Aaron Brown capped a good performance with a try when he powered through a gap, which Grayston converted.

The Rams nearly stole a draw directly from the kick-off. Morton powered down the touchline and found Karl Pryce on the inside but his pass was knocked on by Anthony Thackeray with the line beckoning. Any hopes of the Rams drawing level were ended just a minute later when Southernwood kicked a drop-goal to lead his side to a 23-16 win.

Dewsbury Rams: Grayston, Morton, Pryce, Grady, Scott, Hemingway, Thackeray, Nash, Godwin, Hepworth, Spicer, Hale, Brown. Substitutes: Hyde, Haggerty, Tonks, Gallagher.

Whitehaven: Carr, Ainscough, McAvoy, Parker, Burns, Taylor, Southernwood, Hand, Newton, Jackson, Doran, Mitchell, Marabe. Substitutes: Thorman, Crellin, Cullnean, Tahraoui.

Referee: J Cobb (RFL).