WRUFC kicked off 2019 with a visit to St. Benedict's temporary home at Lowca rugby league. Haven had registered a narrow win in the reverse fixture earlier in the season and this would prove to be another close one.

Haven made a bright enough start and were able to register the first points of the game from a penalty conversion to take an early lead. The Christmas break and time since a previous fixture was starting to show with plenty of handling errors, missed touch finders, and set piece wobbles working their way into the frame for both teams. Bennies had a simple game plan of playing up the middle to gain territory through their forwards and their first try came when on the 5 meter line after sucking in the Whitehaven defence the ball was spread out wide to score the first unconverted try of the day to make it 5-3. The game then descended into a scrappy affair with ill discipline costing both teams, Haven had the chance to re-take the lead with a penalty but the penalty was missed. Bennies were the next to score following sustained pressure on the Whitehaven try line eventually going over the whitewash for a converted try to make it 12-3. Haven would get the last points of the half from a converted penalty.

HT 12-6

Whitehaven started the second half well breaking up the field and camped on the Bennies try line with a series of pick and goes and eventually touched down however the referee judged a double movement in the grounding and the try not given. Haven were now looking a new side, passes were starting to stick and the forwards were winning the collisions and getting on the front foot allowing the backs to paly some rugby. Jamie Martin was able to go over from close range to give Whitehaven the lead with an unconverted try to make it 12-13. Haven continued to press while Bennies were starved of territory and possession. Adam Ramsden was the next to score this time the try was converted to put the score beyond a converted try at 12-20. Bennies were denied any try scoring opportunities until the closing stages of the game were a couple of attacks were repulsed they were eventually able to crash over from close range. The conversion proved to be the last play of the game.

Final score 19-20.

On balance a deserved win for the team secured with a much improved second half performance where the team showed a lot of character to come from behind and secure a rare double win over St. Benedict's in what was a scrappy encounter. Man of the match was Kyle Jenkinson. Next weekend Haven are back at home and play Cockermouth.