Lock Matt Ashworth and openside flanker Samu Kubunavanua - who had a great start to the game covering for the absent Jamie Hughes - were sinbinned one after the other, reducing Whanganui to 13 just before halftime, and then near the conclusion of the game, after a succession of team warnings, the skipper himself, Dane Whale, also received a yellow while trying to stop the attackers on his tryline.
Mentality-wise, East Coast is not a structure and reset team - they're a heart and courage team.
One minute they can be completely out of defensive shape and unable to adjust to your attack, and the next they're steamrolling over you non-stop from every direction.
The gaps being left in the defensive line after both yellow cards helped the hosts to get their two tries, to second-five Joe Wadman and reserve winger Fabyan Kahaki.
East Coast's other standouts included halfback Sam Parkes, who had an outstanding duel with Whanganui's try-scoring halfback Lindsay Horrocks, while Wadman was a handful on attack in the final quarter, as were bench players Semisi Akana and Khian Westrupp.
Prop Perrin Manuel played his 50th game for the province.
Best of the visitors was Horrocks, who kept a level head when calls were going against his side and kicked for territory to relieve the pressure, along with hard-charging, try-scoring prop Gabriel Hakaraia, flanker Ben Whale, and No 8 Semi Vodosese, who got to redeem last weekend's early exit with a signature try off the back of a five-metre scrum.
"It's a pretty hard place to come to and put a performance on, and to keep the heat on," Dane Whale said in his post-match interview for Te Runanganui o Ngati Porou.
"The Ngāti Porou East Coast boys always thrive off the crowd, so once you get those momentum shifts it's really noticeable they lift up another gear," Whale said.
"I thought the momentum shifts came at the right times for them, and they were able to capitalise on it.
"We didn't quite react to the pressure we were being put under and those things can kill you in important times."
Naturally a big part of that pressure, notably at scrum time, led to the penalties and eventually the yellow cards.
"I tried to tell the boys to chill out and take it as it comes, but the referee saw it another way," said Whale.
He congratulated Vakarorogo on his blazer game, an honour he now shares with his cousin, reserve forward Ranato Tikoisolomone.
"He had a great game today, I thought. He tackled well and scored a good try."
Whanganui coach Jason Hamlin knew the long trip to Ruatoria was never going to be easy.
"She was a bloody good tussle," Hamlin said.
"We started really well, scored two tries really early, then we fell into the trap of being too lateral.
"I have a philosophical difference with the referee, but the boys played well - the younger guys stuck their hands up, as they defended for that last 20.
"I get we might be pushing the line, but they were no different, and we seemed to be the only ones pinged. A little frustrating, to be fair.
"If the other front row wasn't boring in [at scrum time], then I don't know what boring in is."
The coach singled out Horrocks for continuing to set the direction, even when the team was under the pump, along with Kubunavanua, who identified weak rucks to attack and carry the ball out.
With a super-clash now looming against defending Meads Cup holders South Canterbury, the only major concern will be the discipline.
"They're working on them, in real time, and there's a lot guys getting some experience factor, in first class rugby," said Hamlin.
Whanganui 34 (A Vakarorogo, T Rogers-Holden, G Hakaraia, L Horrocks, S Vodosese tries; E Malo pen, 2 con, E Robinson con) bt East Coast 18 (J Wadman, F Kahaki tries; C Kemp 2 pen, con). HT: 20-11.
