After being unlucky at the country club last week against Taihape, Kaierau rebounded by taking their chances in a cross-town challenge, beating Pirates 12-5 at Spriggens Park on Saturday.
Kaierau scored two tries through winger Rhys Wylie and fullback Jordan Farrington, including the only points of the second half against a Pirates team without captain Lasa Ulukuta or their suspended sinners like Samu Etuaiti and Simon Hillis.
Pirates centre Johnny Mow scored his team's only points, while Kaierau absorbed pressure to take an important win which brings the race for fourth spot into a dogfight between Kaierau, Pirates and a resurgent Marton.
The big match of Premiers round five was Border hanging on to the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield after a tough trip to Memorial Park, winning a tight game with Taihape 21-16.
The unbeaten Waverley team staked out a clear second spot on the points ladder while handing their hosts their first loss of the season with two tries to one.
Midfielder Andy Hamilton and loose forward Cole Baldwin got the five pointers in each half, while Taihape's second stanza seven pointer through a Ricky Alabaster try was not enough to see them home.
A decimated Marist can only hope April 27, 2013 disappears quickly from memory after their spare-parts team fronted only to be slaughtered in Ohakune by competition frontrunners Ruapehu 13 tries in the 83-7 rout.
Marist coach Greg Proctor had been seriously considering a forfeit late last week with seven top-line players unavailable through injury, two with ongoing problems while five others who have had hospital visits will hopefully be back shortly.
With only 12 fit players who wanted to play on, the plan was made to bring up 10-11 of the Marist seniors who earlier in the day lost their clash with Ruapehu Seniors 17-8.
Three of them pulled double duty while the rest filled out the bench.
Proctor had said Ruapehu were informed during the week of the problems, including the prospect of the match ending early if Marist felt their "B" players' safety was at risk.
It meant a glorified attacking exhibition at Rochfort Park for the home team as 10 players crossed the chalk, including a hat-trick by Logan Vaughan and a double to Zyon Hekenui.
The circumstances of using extra senior player resources to cover gaps is ironic given the two clubs are currently at loggerheads across the Council of Clubs table regarding the rules for contesting the Weekes Cup and Marist's two senior teams being eligible.
That mauling was not the biggest of the weekend, however, as in senior rugby Border had a nightmare visit to Taihape, who went from a 36-3 advantage at halftime to go ballistic in the second half and run up the century.
It keeps them on top of the table, tied with fellow undefeated Hunterville but understandably well ahead on points differential.
Results:
Tasman Tanning Premier, Round Five.
Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau 12 (Jordan Farrington, Rhys Wylie tries, Ace Malo con) beat Integrity Motors Pirates 5 (Johnny Mow try). HT: 5-all.
Marton 13 (Moli Sagapolutere try, Lote Aloa pen, con, Tauriki Manawatu pen) beat Harvey Round Motors Ratana 0. HT:13-0.
Grand Hotel Challenge Shield Waverley Harvesting Border 21 (Andy Hamilton, Cole Baldwin tries, Mark Davis 3 pen, con) beat Taihape 16 (Ricky Alabaster try, Luke Whale 3 pen, con). HT: 10-9.
McCarthy's Ruapehu 83 (Logan Vaughan 3, Zyon Hekenui 2, Peter Rowe, Robert Hughes, Karl Parker, Pehira Huwyler, Te Mairie Hawira, Shaun Hawira, Roman Tutauha, George Williams tries, Tautahi Rawiri 5 con, Hekenui 2 con, Hughes 2 con) beat Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist 7 (Ethan Bailey try, Sean Brown con). HT: 38-0.
Utiku OB bye.
Grand Irish Bar MVP points
At Spriggens Park: Jordan Farrington (Kaierau fullback) 3 points, Junior Tume (Pirates hooker) 2, Nemia Adrole (Kaierau No8) 1.
At Marton Park: Jarrod Wotler (Marton lock) 3, Isaac Fonotoe (Ratana prop) 2, Moli Sagapolutere (Marton fullback) 1.
At Memorial Park, Taihape: Fraser Middleton (Border fullback) 3, Rimu Wipaki (Taihape hooker) 2, Tom Wells (Taihape first-five) 1.
At Rochfort Park, Ohakune: Karl Parker (Ruapehu prop) 3, Logan Vaughan (Ruapehu winger) 2, Roman Tutauha (Ruapehu hooker) 1.
MVP Leaders: Middleton 9 points, Jason Hughes (Ruapehu) 6, Ace Malo (Kaierau), Lasa Ulukuta and Denning Tyrell (Pirates) 4, 15 players with 3 points each.
Senior Championship, Round Four
At Spriggens Park: Trans Pacific Pirates beat Kaierau 24-19. HT: 12-7.
At McNab Domain, Kaiwhaiki: Celtic beat Counties 23-18. HT: 13-all.
At Hunterville (Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield): Power Farming (PN) Hunterville beat Marton 27-5. HT: 17-0.
At Memorial Park, Taihape: Taihape 100 beat Border 100-3. HT: 36-3.
At Memorial Park, Taihape: Utiku OB beat Tech 31-10. HT: 10-7 Tech.
At Rochfort Park, Ohakune: Ruapehu beat Marist 17- 8. HT: 5-0 Marist.