McNally kicked seven goals and scored a hat-trick of tries in the win
Whitehaven's teenage scrum-half Gregg McNally proved the difference in a fiercely contested 42-18 win against Gateshead Thunder on Sunday.
McNally, 18, helped himself to a hat-trick as Whitehaven ran in seven tries to crush Championship newcomers Gateshead, who ran in three.
Haven led 16-6 at the break after a tough opening half for both sides.
The hosts took control in the second period, notching another four tries despite two consolations for Thunder.
After last weekend's Challenge Cup classic, both sides continued in that same vein with a ferocious start, with hits going in on both sides of the breakdown.
Whitehaven who made the first real break when full-back Craig Benson powered close to the line, but the break ended when the ball was spilled just short by Rob Jackson.
However it was the visitors who opened the scoring on five minutes, when a hopeful punt forward by Neighbour caused hesitation in the Haven backline and skipper Neil Thorman was first to the ball to score, with Michael Knowles converting.
The lead lasted a matter of minutes as Haven responded with a well worked try of their own.
Prop Leroy Joe made inroads into the Thunder defence, before offloading beautifully to Karl Edmondson who ran in the reply and McNally kicked to level.
That try set the tone for some wonderful football by both teams, with Gregg McNally going close for Haven and strong pressing by Thunder only thwarted by fine defence work by full-back Benson.
Evenutally Whitehaven's class began to tell and on the half-hour Gregg McNally notched his first try of the game.
Kyle Amor managed to twist the ball out to prop Spencer Miller who tore upfield before slipping the ball to McNally, and the Huddersfield-bound teenager bundled the ball over the line under Gateshead pressure.
Thunder centre Dylan Nash was sent to the sin bin for persistent holding in the ruck, and with the visitors a man down Whitehaven took full advantage.
Dazzling feet by Kyle Amor bore a hole in the Thunder rearguard before the second row touched the ball to Rob Jackson who played Gregg McNally to touch down right under the posts for his second score of the game.
Thunder returned after the break having received another half-time gee-up from boss Chris Hood, but any positive feeling was soon deflated by another Haven try.
Newcomer Karl Long burst through, jinking his way through a couple of challenges before offloading to Scott McAvoy who then slipped the ball to McNally to accelerate away and score.
They added again soon after when a move that spread the full width of the pitch saw Derry Eibeck in at the corner to bring the scores to 28-6.
Haven put the outcome in no doubt when Kyle Amor clawed Leroy Joe's pass out of the air and touched down McNally kicked to make it 34-6
Thunder's Ben McAlpine showed pace to touch down as the visitors launched their first spell of pressure of the second half and Michael Knowles kick added some respectability to the scoreline.
The try seemed to rouse Chris Hood's side as they showed good hands and vision to play in wing Stewart Sanderson out on the left, but he could not find his way to the line.
In turn Haven seemed to be on cruise control as Thunder scrum-half Luke Branighan took advantage of sloppy defence to run in another try, although an unfortunate footnote to the try was an injury to Jamie Cording who damaged his ankle.
Marras wing Ade Adebisi added gloss to the win with a sizzling try, running some 40 yards with the Thunder defence trailing in his wake to hammer home their advantage, and there was to be more agony for the visitors when Ryan Clarke was forced off with a nasty cut to his eye.
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