In a match where defence dominated and the Highlanders could get nothing going in the second half, the side slipped to its fourth straight loss.
The execution is not quite there for the Highlanders. They once again came so close to the tryline many times, but an inaccuracy or some desperate Chiefs defence kept them out. The home team led 13-7 at the break.
The visiting side did not take the chances when they came along, especially in the first half, and making the playoffs now is going to be like climbing Mt Everest in a pair of sandals.
Many times the last pass did not go to hand for the Highlanders. They could no make any impact on the scoreboard in the second half.
Chiefs second five-eighth Andrew Horrell looked to have scored a try 15 minutes into the second half, but after an age of viewing the replays, the officials decided it was not a try.
The officials were making some strange calls and the Chiefs enjoyed a good spell of territory and possession midway through the second half.
Anscombe kicked a penalty to put the lead out to nine points and the Highlanders had to put together a big last quarter. But they got no ball and the Chiefs emerged the victors.
The Highlanders had the majority of the ball and the territory in the first half but went into the break behind.
The team was twice over the line but held up, and then a ball was tapped down by a Chiefs defender when the Highlanders had the tryline at their mercy.
But the pressure finally told when Aaron Smith ran down the blindside from a 5rm scrum and could not be stopped.
Colin Slade knocked over the tricky conversion after earlier missing a couple of gettable penalties, which was a big difference in the game.
The Chiefs had started like a house on fire, scoring 10 points inside seven minutes.
Gareth Anscombe knocked over a penalty and then Tim Nanai-Williams made the most of the Highlanders spilling the ball, scampering 60m to score a soft try.
The Highlanders stood strong when their blindside flanker Jarrad Hoeata was yellow-carded with a high tackle on Aaron Cruden, conceding just three points from the boot of Anscombe.
Chiefs 19 (Tim Nanai-Williams try, Gareth Anscombe con, 4 pen) Highlanders 7 (Aaron Smith try, Colin Slade con). Halftime: 13-7
