However, Marist were gritty and had it over the visitors when it came to defensive turnovers – holding up Ngamatapouri's big Fijians or isolating them in the tackle, as referee Noah Viliamu kept up a steady symphony on the whistle.
It got too much for the Waitotara Valley team's patience, as they went without fullback Terau Whirihana on either side of halftime with a yellow card for backchat, while a reserve was sin binned for striking Marist first five Sean Cummins when he was impeding him – Cummins also getting a yellow card but he was off permanently anyway in a bloodied state.
In a physical clash, Marist lock Brad O'Leary needed a jersey change and his head wrapped tighter than a mummy after early contact opened a gash that needed stitches, while Ngamatapouri's chances were further hamstrung when key men in No8 Bryn Hudson (calf) and second five Jim Seruwalu (back) were both gone early in the second half.
Ngamatapouri's locks Mairangi Tamehana and Josaia Dawai tried to create opportunities, as did try scoring flanker Samu Kubunavanua until a knee injury slowed him down.
But come fulltime and frustrated Ngamatapouri manager Gerald Pearce's biggest contention was the mounting infringement calls against his team.
"We played Marist in the first game with the same ref, and we had the same trouble, and we haven't had any other trouble this season.
"It's just not on, when it's such an important game. Every time we got down that end we got a penalty against us. It makes it hard work for us now.
"We competed in most spheres of the game, and in the second half, in the wind, we were on attack for 80 per cent of the time."
Marist coach Travers Hopkins will take the competition points however he can get them, even if his side needed waited late in the match to create enough momentum and territory for two more tries.
"In the first half I thought we did well, defending for the long patches that we did.
"Our game plan in the second was to pin the corners, but I don't know, when we play Ngamat we just seem to get into that helter-skelter style of play.
"Credit to them, they do it really well, they're probably the best in this competition in doing that, but I guess the thing for us is to stick to our structure."
Leading the way up front to get the key turnovers and stifle Ngamatapouri's busts were the likes of skipper Bradley Graham and hooker Jack Yarrall, along with the veterans in prop Ian Hawkes for the first half and reserve Simon Dibben moving into the unfamiliar role of flanker during the second.
"These young guys, they need those experienced guys around them, it certainly helps them out there," said Hopkins.
"Obviously the win was first and foremost on our cards, but to come away with the bonus point, they're just critical.
"Those first three games, we've picked up a few of them along the way, so they might only be one point on the given day, but they're going to be gold come semifinals time."
In a warm moment, the match was also the comeback game for second five Josiah Bogileka, who had taken time away to grieve the loss of his young son.
"Just the respect he has, he's invaluable," said Hopkins.
"By all admissions, he would probably say he wasn't at his top, but give him some credit, he's only been back after five weeks."
What also helped Marist move away from Ngamatapouri was the 100 per cent accuracy of their kickers, as fullback Ashton Coates nailed his attempts both with and against the wind, while young reserve winger Rangi Kui came on to add the final conversion from the sideline.
"[Goalkicking] has been a concern, the last year or so in particular, but when you can bank on that from just about anywhere, it's pretty reassuring," said Hopkins.
Marist 28 (V Tofa, L Foster, R Gudsell, C Teki-Botica tries; A Coates 3 con, R Kui con) Ngamatapouri 5 (S Kubunavanua try). HT: 14-0.
