There were also several injury breaks, which added to the spectators' frustration.
Former Marist St Pat's lock Charlie Graham was one to impress for the home team, winning lineout ball at two and zipping over for the first try from a short burst down the sidelines.
Gallagher scored the second thanks to a nice cutout pass by captain Paula Hala and an assist by fullback Heemi Davis. No 8 Sione Vaiangina bolted 25m for the third, and first five William Raea, fresh out of the St Kentigern College First XV, ran in the bonus point try right on halftime. He looks a quality No 10 with his passing and running game, adding to Auckland's bulging depth in that position, though he was far from flawless in a disjointed Marist team effort.
The second spell saw Eden muscle up physically, showing pride on defence, but in truth this was a lamentable period of scoreless rugby.
Elsewhere, there were again, worryingly, some hefty blowouts. University defended, if that is the correct word, the Sir Fred Allen Memorial Challenge Cup, with a 112-0 crushing of hapless Maungarua. Hooker Kurt Eklund scored four of Varsity's 18 tries. The students kicked on after leading 36-0 at the break.
The most eye-catching result saw Pakuranga pummel previous leaders Waitemata 60-5 with no less than nine tries.
Improving Papatoetoe scored its first victory of 2014, and a good one it was too, 25-20 over College Rifles. Former Manu Samoa back Timoteo Iosua scored a try for the victors, while captain Hayden Edwards went over for a double for Rifles.
Otahuhu's stingy defence helped it overturn an 11-3 halftime deficit over south Auckland rivals Manukau Rovers to clinch a 15-11 win.
Ponsonby, 62-12 over East Tamaki, and Suburbs, 53-25 over Waitakere City, had comfortable respective wins.
The next round takes place on Good Friday, where the feature match sees Grammar-TEC hosting leaders Ponsonby at Orakei Domain.
Auckland
Pakuranga 60 Waitemata 5
Marist 25 Eden 0
Ponsonby 62 East Tamaki 12
Suburbs 53 Waitakere City 25
Papatoetoe 25 College Rifles 20
Otahuhu 15 Manukau 11
University 112 Maungarua 0
North Harbour
The odds on Massey retaining the North Harbour premier rugby title became even shorter on Saturday when the west Auckland-based club produced another stunning performance.
Massey thrashed Takapuna, only a couple of seasons ago Harbour's club powerhouse, 60-19, racing away to a big half-time lead and scoring nine tries. That has left Massey as the competition's only unbeaten side and after just three matches with commanding table lead in the Buck Shelford Shield first round.
First five-eighths Rodrigo Costa scored 25 points and the potency of the Massey backline was underlined by the presence of the Blues squad member Pita Ahki again in the midfield.
Takapuna's loss leaves them in the unusual position of being ninth on the table, ahead only of the perennial country strugglers, Mahurangi.
Hopes that Mahurangi might show some improvement and celebrate in style their 25 years in the Harbour union were dashed when at Warkworth they were over-run by a lively Glenfield. First five eighths Alex King scored three of Glenfield's tries and the 57-12 scoreline might have been greater had he been in goal-kicking form.
East Coast Bays lost 23-15 in a lively encounter with Northcote but stayed in second place on the table. Centre Jason Blackett scored all three of Northcote's tries and the third was significant in that it checked a Bays second spell recovery which was sparked by its stronger pack.
High penalty counts marked the other two matches in which there were some robust exchanges. Silverdale, with first five eighths Matt McGahan scoring all their points, drew 22-all with North Shore, who lost captain and energetic flanker Josh Blucher to a second spell red card.
Injury-hit Western Pioneers scored the match's only two tries to edge our Marist 15-3.
North Harbour
Northcote 23 East Coast Bays 15
Massey 60 Takapuna 19
Western Pioneers 15 Marist 3
Silverdale 22 North Shore 22
Glenfield 57 Mahurangi 12
Counties Manukau
Drury put on a solid defence display to make Pukekohe work hard for a 19-0 victory. In a score line considerably closer than most would have guessed pre game, a poor performance by Pukekohe and a committed Drury ensured the game would remain close. Playing into a considerable wind in the first half, Pukekohe put on two first half tries and blew a number more threw poor skill execution. Turning with a 12-0 lead at the break and the winds at their back, Pukekohe had the opportunity to put on a decent score, but Drury had other ideas. Even down to thirteen men for nine minutes with two players in the bin for consecutive dangerous tackles, Drury still managed to hold out Pukekohe and finish the game with a respectable score line.
Ardmore Marist made harder work then it should have in their tight 20-18 victory over Patumahoe. Starting the game strong and running out to an early 12-0 lead, Ardmore Marist were looking dominant and taking the game to Patumahoe. But as the game progressed, Ardmore Marist played into Patumahoe's strength as the game closed up and became a more forward orientated match.
In a round of high score lines, Karaka continued their unbeaten run this year with a 103-3 win over struggling Papakura. Proving too strong in every area, Karaka ran in 15 tries including a hat trick to Tavite Gadeisuva and Desma Liaina. Kieron Rollinson had a successful day with the boot converting fourteen of his teams tries and scoring a try himself.
In another blow out score line, Waiuku also put on 15 tries in handing Te Kauwhata 97-0 thrashing. For Waiuku, Bryce Vaireka scored four tries while Luke Graham finished the day with two tries and 11 conversions.
In the other high score line of the weekend, Onewhero managed ten tries to different players in their 70-24 win over Weymouth.
In the other game of the round, Bombay continued their winning ways in downing Manurewa 33-28. Bombay's victory sees them join Onewhero and Pukekohe all sitting on nineteen points in joint second spot behind Karaka in outright first.
Counties Manukau
Pukekohe 19 Drury 0
Onewhero 70 Weymouth 24
Waiuku 97 Te Kauwhata 0
Karaka 103 Papakura 3
Ardmore-Marist 20 Patumahoe 18
Bombay 33 Manurewa 28
Waikato
The unbeaten University side continues to head the points table after another bonus point win, this week 33-19 over Melville. The students had a strong first half at Collins Rd, running their opponents off their feat and should have led by more than the 18-0 halftime scoreline. Melville had the better of the second half, but University won the match with plenty in hand.
It was a similar story at Albert Park, where the visiting Old Boys side was always in charge against Te Awamutu Sports, eventually winning 31-13 after an error-ridden display. Old Boys scored four tries and should have won this game by a lot more.
Otorohanga continued on their winning way at the Island Reserve, although the hosts took some time to get into ther game. Opponents Hautapu led 5-0 early in the match, but were soon swamped by the power and might of this season's Otorohanga side, one of the two unbeaten teams in the competition after five rounds of pool play.
The other two matches were both one-sided affairs. On their home ground Hamilton Marist scored six converted tries in beating Morrinsville Sports 42-0, while Fraser-Tech almost posted a century of points, scoring unanswered fifteen tries on the way to handing Te Rapa a 95-0 hiding.
Waikato
Hamilton Marist 42 Morrinsville Sports 0
University 33 Melville 19
Fraser Tech 95 Te Rapa 0
Otorohanga 55 Hautapu 15
Hamilton Old Boys 31 Te Awamutu Sports 13
Thames Valley
Two sides scored fifteen tries on Saturday in the latest round of Valley club rugby.
Te Aroha College Old Boys travelled to Whangamata and came away with an 89-5 victory. Biggest cheer on the day from the home supporters was for one of their own local lads, No 8 Adam Brien, who scored early in the match when the hosts looked as if they might provide sterner opposition for the visitors before the scoreline mounted.
On their home ground Waihi showed similar winning form against Ngatea, working through to a 91-3 winning margin against a disappointing opposition. The other matches were more evenly contested. At Paeroa, Thames managed a 27-22 win against Wests, while at Te Aroha, Hauraki North fought to the end of the side's match against Waihou, finally claiming a 21-19 victory.
Mercury Bay had the third round bye.
Northland
Hikurangi 25 Waipu 23
Old Boys-Marist 37 Kamo 17
Otamatea 41 Mid Northern 39
Wellsford 29 Mid-Western 27
Hora Hora 51 Western Sharks 21
North Harbour
Northcote 23 East Coast Bays 15
Massey 60 Takapuna 19
Western Pioneers 15 Marist 3
Silverdale 22 North Shore 22
Glenfield 57 Mahurangi 12
Counties Manukau
Pukekohe 19 Drury 0
Onewhero 70 Weymouth 24
Waiuku 97 Te Kauwhata 0
Karaka 103 Papakura 3
Ardmore-Marist 20 Patumahoe 18
Bombay 33 Manurewa 28
Bay of Plenty
Whakarewarewa 30 Opotiki 15
Rotoiti 40 Mt Maunganui 30
Te Puke Sports 25 Rangataua 18
Greerton Marist 50 Rangiuru 7
Tauranga Sports 22 Te Puna 6
King Country
Waitete 82 Taumarunui Districts 7
Piopio 15 Kio Kio 15
Taupo Sports 47 Tongariro 0
Taumarunui R & S 57 Taupo United 0
Poverty Bay
OBM 13 Wairoa Athletic 3
Ngatapa 41 Horouta 12
Pirates 46 HSOB 7
Hawke's Bay
Taradale 29 MAC 10
Havelock North 26 Napier Technical 13
Napier Old Boys-Marist 31 Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports 14
Hastings Rugby and Sports 43 Central 24
Clive 29 Tamatea 22
Taranaki
Inglewood 8 Spotswood United 3
Coastal 17 Southern 15
Tukapa 38 Stratford 11
NPOB 52 Clifton 20
Wanganui
Marist 23 Kaierau 14
Ruapehu 14 Border 8
Taihape 17 Ratana 0
Marton 14 Utiku OB 10
Manawatu
Old Boys-Marist 22 Feilding 16
Varsity 20 Kia Toa 17
Linton Army 22 Feidling Old Boys-Oroua 16
Te Kawau 38 Freyberg 13
Wairarapa-Bush
Gladstone 27 Marist 19
Pioneer 38 East Coast 18
Greytown 33 Carterton 0
Eketahuna 19 Martinborough 9
Horowhenua Kapiti
Shannon 53 Paraparaumu 7
Levin College Old Boys 37 Levin Athletic 35
Waikanae 49 Wanderers 5
Wellington
Marist St Pat's 30 Poneke 15
Tawa 34 Northern United 7
Oriental-Rongotai 22 Old Boys-University 17
Wellington 16 Johnsonville 9
Petone 20 Hutt Old Boys-Marist 19
Upper Hutt Rams 17 Wainuiomata
Tasman
(Nelson Bays)
Marist 33 Waimea OB 17
Nelson 32 Stoke 5
Wanderers 38 Kahurangi 17
(Marlborough)
Awatere 22 Central 11
Harlequins 56 Renwick 17
Waitohi 38 Moutere 13
Buller
White Star 62 Westport 10
Ngakawau 22 Old Boys 15
West Coast
Kiwi 54 Blaketown 10
Grey Valley 26 South Westland 18
Marist 31 Wests 8
Canterbury
New Brighton 15 Sumner 3
Christchurch 27 University 0
HSOB 73 Shirley 5
Lincoln University 43 Marist-Albion 27
Sydenham 32 Linwood 22
Burnside 38 Belfast 0
Canterbury Country/Mid Canterbury combined
Darfield 13 Hampstead 7
Southbridge 59 Kaiapoi 10
Methven 37 Oxford 0
Ashley 25 Pebbleton 8
Celtic 23 Ohoka 11
Burnham/Dunsandel 34 West Melton 11
Lincoln 17 Southern 13
Waihora 42 Saracens 22
South Canterbury
Celtic 20 Geraldine 17
Harlequins 21 Waimate 17
Pleasant Point 35 Temuka 19
MacKenzie 31 Old Boys 5
North Otago
Old Boys 50 Excelsior 11
Valley 50 Kurow 7
Athletic Marist 53 Maheno 13
Otago
(Dunedin)
Kaikorai 22 Dunedin 15
Taieri 18 Southern 14
University A 32 Zingari-Richmond 14
Alhambra-Union 57 Green Island 5
Harbour 39 Pirates 0
(Central Otago)
Wakatipu 13 Cromwell A 12
Maniototo 23 Clyde-Earnscleugh 13
Upper Clutha A 49 Wakatipu Wanderers 14
Arrowtown 107 Cromwell B 0
Alexandra 44 Upper Clutha B 3
Roxburgh 23 Matakanui Combined 5
(South Otago)
Clutha 49 Heriot 23
Toko 26 Clinton 25
Lawrence 37 Clutha Valley 17
Crescent 30 Owaka 10
Southland
Woodlands 46 Blues 13
Marist beat Midlands
Star 18 Eastern-Northern Barbarians 13
Pirates-Old Boys 64 Tokanui 11
