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by ROGER HALSTEAD
 
NL1 CLUB Whitehaven, consistently one of the stronger teams in that division in recent years, come to Boundary Park on Sunday in the last 16 of the Northern Rail Cup with a new coach at the helm following the resignation for health reasons of Paul Crarey.
 
The former Barrow boss was taken to hospital last week with chest pains and has been told to rest for several weeks. Paul told Gareth Walker, for League Express: "I's a massive blow, because I was enjoying the job at Whitehaven. They are a great group of blokes and its a great club. But the doctor has told me this is a big wake-up call for me. It's either angina or a heart problem, and I've been told I must slow down."
 
The Cumbrians wasted no time in replacing Paul, whose job has gone to former Workington coach Ged Stokes. He has agreed a deal to the end of the season and he was in charge at Widnes on Sunday when the Vikings won a thriller 32-28 after trailing 4-18 at one stage.
 
Stokes has been out of the game for 11 months after leaving Workington. But he remained in West Cumbria, and he hopes to do enough at the Recreation Ground to persuade the Whitehaven board to offer him a long-term deal.
 
He told the Leaguer: "It's fantastic to be back in rugby league because 11 months is a long time out. But it gave me quality thinking time and it allowed me the chance to sit down and consider a lot of things in my career and in my coaching.
 
"I'm familiar with the team because I'm based locally and when I was at Workington we had plenty of derbies. The club has a big task on its hands following the recent financial situation, but everyone is finding their way and I am looking forward to the challenge."
 
'Haven lined up like this at Widnes last Sunday: Gary Broadbent; Craig Calvert, Sala Makisi, Rob Jackson, Ade Adebisi; Carl Rudd, Leroy Joe; Ryan McDonald, Graeme Mattinson, Karl Edmondson, Spencer Miller, Richard Fletcher, Scott McAvoy. Subs: Carl Sice, Derry Eilbeck, Howard Hill, David Ford
 
They have lost each of their three games so far in NL1, going down to Featherstone away and Batley at home and then losing at Widnes, where they looked to be in control until the Vikings made a late recovery to snatch the win.