Replacement first five-eighths Gareth Anscombe failed with a conversion attempt after the final hooter had sounded as Tasman shocked Auckland 30-28 in a national provincial rugby championship match in Nelson tonight.
Anscombe's kick would have levelled matters after a Hadleigh Parkes try in the 83rd minute gave the Aucklanders a chance to deny Tasman a deserved win and just their second success of the season.
Tasman were good value for their win, muscling up at the breakdown to upset Auckland's flow and putting in some sterling work on defence to deny their premiership rivals.
Both teams scored three tries apiece but it was the boot of captain Andrew Goodman that proved the difference with the second five-eighths kicking 15 points to go with his second half try.
Tasman, sitting bottom of the championship division heading into the match, struck first in the third minute counter-attack and good work from blindside flanker Liam Squire and wing Robbie Malneek saw first five-eighths James Marshall score a try that was converted.
It was an insipid start from the Aucklanders, who chose to rest a number of their key players for the inter-divisional match, but they were on the board through the boot of first five-eighths Piers Francis who was making his first start if the season.
Tasman grabbed five turnovers in the opening 20 minutes, and Goodman restored their seven-point lead before the Aucklanders kicked into life in a sizzling three-minute spell.
Veteran fullback Brent Ward capped off a surge that went through multiple phases to score their opening try and then a chip and chase from centre Parkes ended with his midfield partner Teddy Stanaway going over for their second to hand the visitors a 17-10 lead.
The hosts struck back just before the break after a lengthy counter-attack launched deep inside their own was rounded off by No 8 Mark Bright. The abrasive Bright, playing his 50th match for Tasman and destined for a stint at London Scottish, went over after an exchange of passes with James and Tom Marshall. Goodman's conversion took the sides to the interval locked at 17-17.
Anscombe, a halftime substitute, kicked a penalty a minute after the restart, but Goodman answered back with two of his own and his side continued to prove a thorn in the Aucklanders' side to snuff out a series of promising moves.
Their defensive resilience was rewarded with a length of the field try in which flanker Shane Christie raced 50 metres before setting Goodman free to the line for their third converted try of the evening.
Despite calling on the abilities of Blues Super 15 players Alby Mathewson and Charlie Faumuina off the bench Auckland could only add another Anscombe penalty before a his cross kick fell kindly for Parkes to crash over with time up on the clock.
But Anscombe, a New Zealand under-20 representative, was not successful with his kick from out wide to deny Tasman a much-needed win.
