It looked all over for the Highlanders against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein yesterday morning. If the fat lady was not singing then she was at least clearing her throat.
But the Highlanders came back from the dead, reeling in the Cheetahs to win 36-33 and remain in fifth position on the Super 15 table.
Joseph said it was always going to be a difficult match but the players off the bench helped tip the game in the Highlanders' favour.
"The guys that came on really helped create a lot of opportunities. You have to acknowledge them as they had massive games. What they did won the game for us.
"But there is real self-belief in the side. The way we came back to me is a reflection of the tightness within the team.
"They have to be tight and they will have to play hard for each other and for the team," Joseph said.
"As a coach you never plan to bring them on [reserves] at a set stage before the match starts.
"But you have to think about what the experience of guys like Jimmy Cowan and Jason Rutledge will bring to the team."
Cowan picked up two tries in as many minutes to haul his side back into the match, as the Cheetahs let a win slip through their fingers.
Of the seven wins the Highlanders have clocked up so far this season, six of them have been by seven points or fewer.
Joseph said it was tough on the heart, as teams really took on the Highlanders.
"The games have been really physical as I think a lot of teams really want to match us up front at the breakdown and the way we play. It's not easy and I'm thankful we got through it today.
"It was good to start the tour with a win but in saying that we didn't come over here to lose."
Joseph said in some regards they were fortunate to win as they were outplayed in the first half.
"We were completely dominated in the first half by a very good Cheetahs side.
"They were just a second quicker than us, a foot lower and just better than us. Our discipline was not so good and we conceded a few penalties.
"But credit must go to the guys the way they stayed in it.
"We had everything to lose really. We have had a good season so far so to come back after being 20 points down says a lot about the team."
A Cheetahs win looked on the cards but Sias Ebersohn missed a sitter of a penalty at the end which was followed by Chris Noakes slotting the winning penalty.
"It was fortunate, lucky really, to win but you take it.
"It was a quality kick from Chris at the end but we have had fine goalkickers in this team."
Highlanders fullback Ben Smith, who impressed in his first game back after two weeks out, said the side always knew it could win but just managed to hold on to the ball better near the end.
"We probably got a bit predictable but when we were down by a few points we managed to move the ball and find a bit of extra space.
"We stuck to our guns and it paid off in the end," he said.
The Highlanders now shift to Durban and will rest for a couple of days, before preparing for next week's game against the Sharks.
The side is probably going to lose James Haskell to suspension.
Joseph said he could not condone what Haskell did - in throwing a punch at his opposite, who was holding him at a scrum - but it was hard to not take action when the opposition was cheating.
In other action in the weekend, the Blues' poor run continued as the side lost 23-11 to the Reds in Auckland on Friday night.
The Chiefs beat the Hurricanes 33-14 in Hamilton on Saturday night while the Stormers ended their tour by beating the Force 17-3 in Perth.
The Brumbies beat the Lions 34-20 in Johannesburg.
In last night's game, the Crusaders downed Waratahs 37-33 in Sydney to move to fifth place on the table.
