It was a journey of six hours and a round trip of nearly seven hundred miles as the London Broncos headed to the northwest to take on Whitehaven RLFC in the second round of the 2023 Betfred Championship with both sides seeking their first two points of their 2023 campaign after opening week losses.

Alex Bishop withdrew from the home side´s line-up after the early warmup which forced coach Jonty Corley to make several small adjustments to his side, Mike Eccles was able to start the game with his chosen seventeen.

Some early indiscipline from Whitehaven allowed the Broncos to start the game on the front foot. With six minutes on the clock the visitors went over the line but Lewis Bienek was held up over the line.

The dam finally broke on nine minutes as Paul Ulberg took a miss-out pass found space wide to go over in the corner for the opening score of the game. Oli Leyland hit the upright with his conversion attempt, scant consolation for Whitehaven.

Ulberg got his second on fourteen minutes with the ball once again shifted wide, the winger exploiting a fractured defensive line to go in again. Leyland found his line and length with his second kick for 10-0, the Broncos dominating the early stages of the game.

Bienek was again held up over the line on twenty-four as the Broncos continued to take the game to the Marras.

It was Marcus O´Brien´s turn to be held up over the line on Whitehaven’s first real attack on thirty-one. On the next play Chris Taylor looked to have dived over in the corner, but referee Grant ruled it our for a knock-on in the build-up.

A great break by Jacob Douglas, turning defence into attack after Curtis Teare took the ball off the London attack, saw the centre sprint sixty metres evading the cover tacklers for a spectacular score with just under five minutes of the half remaining. Josh Rourke added the conversion to reduce the arrears to just four points, somewhat against the run of play.

Whitehaven were back on level terms on fifty-five when Douglas scored a try off a miracle ball from Teare as he reversed passed in an impossible position. Rourke was unable to add the extras from wide but now it was all to play for.

Just after the hour the Broncos steadied the ship and regained the lead when Bill Leyland somehow wriggled his arm free in the tackle to stretch for the line. Brother Oli Leyland added the extras for 16-10 to the visitors.

On sixty-four Liess Macani dropped the ball with the line begging, spurning the opportunity to seal the win for London.

Three minutes later and Dion Aiye was the creator of the third Whitehaven try as he sidestepped his tackler before putting Junior Nsemba free to dive in. Rourke added the conversion and again the two sides were all tied up at 16-16 with just over ten minutes left on the clock.

A massive blow for Whitehaven came on seventy-three with the sinbinning of Lasarusa Tabu for a dangerous tackle. Within seconds of the restart some poor ´Haven defence saw Jarred Bassett break the line and walk in far too easily for the decisive try. Leyland missed the conversion attempt, the two sides now separated by four points.

Whitehaven were on the attack in the dying seconds but the final hooter beat them to the line and they suffered their second defeat at the start of the season.

It was a terrific game with little to choose between the two sides as they continue to blow away the early season cobwebs. London dominated for periods in the first half but Whitehaven did well to fight back, eventually paying the price of Tabu being yellow carded with just under ten minutes of the game remaining. Neither coach will be delighted with their sides performance but it will be a jovial coach back to London tonight for the Broncos.

Whitehaven: Rourke (2G), Eccleston, Taylor, Teare, Douglas (2T), Doran, Aiye, Walker, O´Brien, McAvoy, Nsemba (T), Lanskey, Tabu (SB on 73).  Subs: Singleton, Castle, Ainley, Holliday. 18th Man: Bradley.

London Broncos: Walker, Ulberg (2T), Bassett (T), Eckersley, Macani, Leyland O (2G), Parata, Bienek, Davis, Williams, Lovell, Natoli, Stock. Subs: Leyland B (T), Albert, Hill, Silva. 18th Man: Horsman.

Half-Time: 6-10.  

Full-Time: 16-20.

Score Progression: 0-4, 0-8, 0-10, 4-10, 6-10 : HT : 10-10, 10-14, 10-16, 14-16, 16-16, (SB), 16-20 : FT.

Lead Exchanges: London – Square – London – Square - London.

Referee: Tom Grant.

Attendance: .