Cats left to cry over spilt milk

Highlanders 16 Cats 12

The Highlanders showed how to win a game without much ball to beat the Cats and make it two-from-two on their African campaign.

The win came from a three-point approach.

* Make sure fullback Ben Blair knocks the penalties over when he gets the chance.

* Get a sniff of a try and make sure you take it - Craig Newby did that.

* Tackle anyone in a Cats jersey. Relentlessly.

All that was left for the Cats was to wonder how it got away after applying most of the pressure.

Hooker Schalk Brits bustled through the defence and seemed set to score, only to lose the ball as the tackle came in.

First five-eighth Andre Pretorius got them within range with a few booming touchfinders, but the Cats could never convert the advantage.

Pretorius traded penalties with Blair during the first half before an Anton Oliver break left the Cats' defence for dead and flanker Newby surged over the line.

Blair added the conversion for the Highlanders to lead 10-9 at halftime and the fullback pounced on every opportunity after the break, adding two more long-range penalties as they survived heavy pressure from the Cats.

Pretorius also kicked a second-half penalty but the hosts' laboured attacking efforts still could not find a way through the tireless Highlanders' defence.

In the frenetic last few minutes Neil Brew made a key tackle on centre Jaques Fourie, just as it seemed he might be away.

The Highlanders then managed to hold on in spite of losing two of their lineout throws and having Filipo Levi sin-binned.

A last gasp try-scoring attempt summed it up when Pretorius kicked for the corner for Fourie to run on to. Fourie could not take it cleanly in the air and halfback Jimmy Cowan hacked the ball into touch to seal it.