Second-five Sam Gilbert has salvaged the Highlanders' slim Super Rugby Pacific playoff hopes, slotting a late penalty to snatch a 20-17 victory over Melbourne Rebels at Dunedin.
With both teams desperately scrambling for the last top-eight spot in the post-season, neither were able to impose their superiority, despite the home side's greater possession and territory advantage throughout.
Locked together at 17-17 at the fulltime siren, they seemed head for extra time, but the Highlanders had one last shot at victory in regulation, when they won a scrum penalty in their own 22.
Mitch Hunt's touchfinder put them inside Rebels territory, with the prospect of a penalty or drop goal to steal the competition points. Four minutes after the siren, referee Paul Williams penalised the Rebels at a ruck just outside the 22 and Gilbert held his nerve to provide the heroics.
"It's so handy having someone like Gilbert, who can kick it from anywhere," said Highlanders captain Billy Harmon. "He's come in clutch and done an awesome job."
For much of the contest, neither team seemed capable of taking a must-win encounter, with collapsed scrums, dropped passes and wasted opportunities marring the spectacle.
In the second minute, Gilbert seemed to have opened the scoring, when he spun through a tackle to cross the tryline, but replays showed Rebels winger Lachie Anderson had slipped his hand under the ball to prevent grounding.
Highlanders fullback Connor Garden-Bachop had the opening try from broken play, when he was on the spot to gather a wayward pass behind Gilbert and cross in the corner.
Melbourne levelled through a try to No.8 Richard Hardwick, but Highlanders prop Ethan de Groot powered over to give his side a 14-7 halftime lead. Again, replays suggested he may have grounded the ball short, but Gilbert's quick conversion circumvented any further analysis.
The Highlanders had plenty of opportunities to pad their margin, but Harmon almost singlehandedly kept them in the game, papering over their faults with his dominance of the breakdown.
Rebels second-five Stacey Ili brought the visitors back to level terms with a try and moments later, Reece Hodge put them ahead for the first time with a penalty.
Williams yellow-carded hooker Jordan Uelese, reducing Melbourne to 14 men, and Gilbert slotted the penalty to level scores and set up the thrilling finish.
Replacement flanker James Lentjes seemed to have scored a winning try under the posts, but replays showed he was also held up without grounding.
"Awesome, it was a must-win for us," said Harmon. "It's been a wee while, so it was awesome to get that done and now we can just keep moving.
"The name of the game at the moment is just to get wins - we've done that."
The result elevates the Highlanders into eighth for now, pending other results across the Tasman this weekend. They face Queensland Reds next Friday.
Highlanders 20 (Garden-Bachop & de Groot tries; Gilbert 2 conversions & 2 penalties) Melbourne Rebels 17 (Hardwick & Ili tries; Hodge 2 conversions & penalty)
