Whitehaven 30 Sheffield Eagles 16: Eagles brought down by hosts Whitehaven

Mark Aston’s side, second in the Championship, had only lost once previously all season and that was back in January on opening night against Halifax.

However, they came badly unstuck in Cumbria yesterday following an energetic display from opponents who shrugged off the absence of talismanic ex-Wakefield scrum-half Jamie Rooney.

Whitehaven had fallen to ninth following a Good Friday derby defeat to Workington, but took the lead through Craig Calvert’s fifth-minute try.

They extended their advantage when Scott McAvoy crossed in the 16th minute and left Sheffield in disarray when Neil Thorman added a third try, Cain Southernwood kicking three goals for an unlikely 18-0 lead inside 25 breathless minutes.

Eagles, who had won the South Yorkshire derby against Doncaster on Good Friday, finally got going when Mitch Stringer got them off the mark with a 35th-minute try, Dom Brambani improving.

Papua New Guniea international Menzie Yere raised hopes of a recovery with the first of a brace from the centre just before half-time, Brambani sending them in just 18-12 behind.

But Whitehaven, crucially, struck first after the break with quickfire tries from James Cameron and Lee Patterson, ex-Bradford Bulls scrum-half Southernwood slotting another conversion and then a penalty just before the hour.

Yere responded again, but there would be no further scoring and, with Brambani also yellow-carded, Aston’s side were even denied a bonus point.

Whitehaven: Thorman, Cameron, McAvoy, Parker, Calvert, Paterson, Southernwood, Martins, Newton, Culnean, Barker, Clarke, Crellin. Substitutes: Sice, Houghton, Jackson, Doran.

Sheffield Eagles: Lauulu-Togagae, Morrison, Turner, Yere, Taulapapa, Walker, Brambani, Howieson, Henderson, Stringer, Knowles, Straughier, Szostak. Substitutes: P. Smith, Garside, Hirst, Gledhill.

Referee: R Laughton (RFL)