Another solid Highlanders effort, patches of good form.
But - and this is the but that counts - another Highlanders loss.
The side went down 34-33 to the Reds at Forsyth Barr Stadium last night and, with the defeat, will spend another week in the cellar of the Super 15 competition.
The team again gave its all but there were too many errors, too many dumb plays, and a lack of composure at key moments.
The Highlanders were 15 points down with the match an hour old but surged back to get within one point.
However, right near the end, they lost a lineout throw, threw a poor pass wide, and could not get the ball in the dying minutes.
The Reds deserved their win, though, as they had better energy in the pack, and made the advantage line with ease.
The Highlanders took too long to get out of first gear and lacked continuity, although the Reds players were guilty of lying all over the ball.
Too often, big tight forwards from the Highlanders were stuck out in the midfield and they simply made easy targets for the Reds defence.
The side needs to find some way to move the defence more quickly and it needs to speed up its game, especially when moving the ball through its forwards.
Quade Cooper and Lima Sopoaga swapped penalties in the final 10 minutes but the home team could not get its nose in front.
Halfback Aaron Smith played his best game of the season, lock Brad Thorn kept working hard and Sopoaga, TJ Ioane and Liam Coltman made impacts off the bench.
Gear looked good in everything he did but the side needs an injection of loose forward class sooner rather than later.
Will Genia showed his class for the Reds while Quade Cooper had patches of brilliance.
The Reds struck early with a try to hooker James Hanson after just five minutes.
Cooper found a gap about 15m out, fed the ball back in and, in the resulting scramble, Hanson crawled over to score the try.
Copper added the extras but Colin Slade got the first points on the board for the Highlanders on eight minutes with a penalty straight out in front.
He added another a few minutes later.
The Highlanders then went ahead after 19 minutes. After the Reds conceded a penalty near their own tryline, Aaron Smith took a quick tap, and put No 8 Elliot Dixon into a slight gap and he barged over from 5m out.
But it was a see-sawing first half and the Reds went back in front when impressive flanker Liam Gill burrowed over from a lineout drive and Cooper added the extras.
The Highlanders were looking loose on defence and skipper Andrew Hore was yellow-carded for appearing in the Reds backline when the Australian side was hard on attack.
Cooper hit the post with the kick but it did not matter because from the resulting rebound, and a few hit-ups, No 8 Jake Schatz went over under the posts.
The Highlanders had the final say in the first half, when, after a period of attacking, Colin Slade knocked over a penalty.
Highlanders v Reds
The scores
Reds ... 34
Liam Gill, James Hanson, Jake Schatz, Will Genia tries, Quade Cooper 4 con, 2 pen
Highlanders ... 33
Hosea Gear, Elliot Dixon, Ma'a Nonu tries, Colin Slade con, 3 pen; Lima Sopoaga 2 con, pen
Halftime: 21-16.
Crowd: 12,431
