The Crusaders held on to beat the Highlanders 17-14.
Neither side was able to add to the halftime score in Christchurch tonight.
Has to be said the Highlanders had plenty of opportunities, but those Crusaders found a way to wriggle out every time.
The home team played the final three minutes with 14 men after reserve hooker Shilo Klein was red-carded for a shoulder charge on Ethan de Groot.
The Highlanders deserved more out of the match than a bonus point for a narrow loss. But they now find themselves with six consecutive losses and a place in the playoffs slipping away.
It all started so promisingly for the visitors.
They worked a nice move from a lineout close to the line. Hooker Andrew Makalio found Shannon Frizell at the front and he flicked the ball back to the former Crusaders rake who crashed over to score against his old team.
Mitch Hunt drilled the sideline conversion and the visitors had the start they were looking for.
The Crusaders struck back quickly. They had a crack from a lineout drive, but were repelled.
But they tried another route. David Havili regathered a chip and from the ruck prop Fletcher Newell charged on to the ball and barged over.
The frantic start to the match continued when Hunt produced a slice of magic. He shaped to throw a wide, loopy pass but picked out Scott Gregory with a flat dish instead.
The little dummy created the space and time Gregory needed to slide past a defender and angle his way towards the line.
The home team rallied with a penalty to Richie Mo’unga and a high tackle from Josh Hohneck gave the Crusaders the opportunity to set up another lineout drive.
When the Highlanders would not give they went wide and powerful centre Leicester Fainga’anuku hit the ball at pace and bumped off Gregory to slip over - his fifth try this season.
Tough man to stop.
But it was the Crusaders scrum which provided the bigger headache. They were winning a lot of penalties from that phase.
The Highlanders had All Black loosehead de Groot on the bench and he came on with 30 minutes remaining.
The game lost structure in the second spell and meandered through 20 uninspiring minutes.
Hunt made a critical error when he missed a kick for touch from a penalty to set up a 5m lineout.
The game was firmly in the balance and it gave the Crusaders an easy out.
But the Highlanders rolled back up field, thanks to a couple of breaks by Folau Fakatava, and Frizell made a big run as well.
However, each time the Crusaders found a way to scramble out of trouble.
Somehow pint-sized winger Sevu Reece came up with a couple of crucial turnovers.
The defence did not crack but the discipline did. Klein went to the bin but Ethan Blackadder made a big play to win the ball back - and that was that.
Highlanders No 8 Marino Mikaele-Tu’u carried strongly. Josh Dickson was good value in the lineout and loose forward Sean Withy, who was called in as a late replacement for James Lentjes, had a solid Super Rugby Pacific debut.
Massive prop Saula Ma’u was another late replacement, taking the place of Jermaine Ainsley.
Scores
Crusaders 17 (Fletcher Newell, Leicester Fainga’anuku tries; Richie Mo’unga con 2, pen)
Highlanders 14 (Andrew Makalio, Scott Gregory tries; Mitch Hunt con 2)
Halftime: 17-14.
