KEY POINTS:
The Highlanders survived a scare from Super 14 rugby stragglers the Reds before emerging 33-17 winners in Dunedin tonight.
Anxiety levels were rising among the home crowd at Carisbrook as the Reds, fighting a mounting injury toll and an lengthening list of losses, closed to 17-18 immediately after halftime.
The visitors' tails were up as they sought to end a four-match losing streak but the Highlanders responded to the challenge, putting their opponents away with a strong finish.
The result means the Highlanders can rest comfortably in midtable when they enjoy a bye next week, while the last-placed Reds, under former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones, head to Perth to take on the Western Force.
The Highlanders scored four tries to two, their first coming in just the fourth minute when first five-eighth Nick Evans and dangerous wing Vili Waqaseduadua slickly perfected a set play from a scrum to create an unimpeded run to the line for second five-eighth Aaron Bancroft.
Penalties were then traded before wing Lucky Mulipola put the Highlanders up 15-3 in the 29th minute when captain Josh Blackie was stymied just short of the line but managed to wriggle around in the tackle to offload to his teammate.
The Reds could have imploded but instead showed commendable fortitude to bounce back with a try before the break to young second five-eighth Berrick Barnes to see the Queenslanders trailing 10-18 at the interval.
The difference was then sliced to one point three minutes after the restart when captain and No 8 John Roe was shunted over the line from a lineout drive for Barnes to convert.
The Highlanders were without captain and flanker Josh Blackie for the second half and his absence was felt as the Reds contested the breakdown with renewed energy.
However, for 10 minutes they had to do without flanker David Croft, who was sinbinned for persistent infringing, and the Highlanders managed to make this period count.
After flanker Craig Newby and halfback Jimmy Cowan both went close to scoring tries, fullback Glen Horton finally got over the line in a desperate dive down the right-hand touch in the 57th minute.
This followed Evans' second penalty of the game and gave the Highlanders a 26-17 advantage which they stretched further when hooker Jason MacDonald scored after making a blindside dab following a lineout six minutes from fulltime.
Highlanders 33 (Aaron Bancroft, Lucky Mulipola, Glen Horton, Jason MacDonald tries; Nick Evans 2 pen, 2 con, Bancroft dropped goal) Reds 17 (Berrick Barnes, John Roe tries; Barnes pen, 2 con). Halftime: 18-10.
- NZPA
