The ACT Brumbies have clinched a dramatic 34-27 victory over the Highlanders in Canberra.
Len Ikitau scored a 78th minute match-winner but the game was still alive deep in the red after Caleb Tangitau's 80th minute effort.
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Andy Muirhead, Corey Toole, Allan Alaalatoa and Billy Pollard all crossed for ACT while Tangitau's brace headlined a bonus-point effort featuring tries to Jona Nareki and Sam Gilbert.
The Highlanders' fightback was impressive after trailing 15-5 at halftime with Gilbert's 66th minute penalty goal putting the visitors ahead 22-15 in the final quarter.
But the Brumbies' scrum proved decisive, racking up five unanswered scrum penalties to set up Muirhead's crucial 72nd-minute try before Ikitau and Tangitau traded late scores to set up an explosive finish.
Needing a converted try in overtime, the Highlanders even threatened to take the contest to golden point but fell undone in the 84th minute with an error, ending yet another thriller in this superb Super Rugby Pacific season.
"We did well to hold them out at the end but we shouldn't be in that situation," Ikitau told Stan Sport at full-time.
"We switched off (in the second half) but just happy we got the win in a tough game; very physical."
The Brumbies started on the backfoot, losing Corey Toole to the sinbin inside the first 15 seconds with a clunky head clash in the opening tackle from kick-off.
With the numerical advantage, winger Jona Nareki released fellow wideman Caleb Tangitau for the match's opening try.
The Highlanders didn't score again for the half as the Brumbies took control.
Billy Pollard finished a mighty 17-phase move and captain Allan Alaaatoa cashed in after a rolling maul, splitting his ear in the process.
The Highlanders blew a couple of chances to retake the lead, with Sam Gilbert going over but being found to have knocked on earlier in the move, before Thomas Umaga-Jensen coughed up the ball with the try line in sight.
The visiting side had been starved of the ball and looked shaky with it - until they emerged from half-time.
They put on 14 points in 14 minutes to steal the lead, with Gilbert making amends after slick work from Tangitau, before Nareki screamed through the lines to score the game's best try.
Larkham withdrew Rob Valentini, still recovering from a hamstring injury, on the hour mark as the contest steadied for a decisive final quarter.
The Brumbies returned to their patient first-half ways, Toole sidestepping over the line to finish after 13 phases, and they retook the lead at 20-19.
Falling behind again to a Gilbert penalty, the Brumbies made sure the next lead-change was the last, improving their impressive home record to 18 wins from their last 21.
For the Highlanders, it was another case of close but no cigar. All six of their matches have been decided by eight points or less, with losses in four of them.
ACT BRUMBIES 34 (Ikitau, Muirhead, Toole, Alaalatoa, Pollard tries; Debreczini 2, Lolesio cons) def HIGHLANDERS 27 (Tangitau 2, Gilbert, Nareki tries; Gilbert 2 cons)
BRUMBIES (1-15): James Slipper, Billy Pollard, Allan Alaalatoa (c), Nick Frost, Lachlan Shaw, Tom Hooper, Rory Scott, Rob Valetini, Harrison Goddard, Noah Lolesio, Corey Toole, David Feliuai, Len Ikitau, Andy Muirhead, Tom Wright
Replacements: Liam Bowron, Blake Schoupp, Rhys van Nek, Cadeyrn Neville, Tuaina Taii Tualima, Klayton Thorn, Jack Debreczeni, Ollie Sapsford
HIGHLANDERS (1-15): Daniel Lienert-Brown, Soane Vikena, Saula Ma'u, Fabian Holland, Mitch Dunshea, TK Howden, Veveni Lasaqa, Sean Withy, Nathan Hastie, Taine Robinson, Jona Nareki, Timoci Tavatavanawai (c), Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Caleb Tangitau, Sam Gilbert
Replacements: Henry Bell, Josh Bartlett, Sefo Kautai, Will Stodart, Michael Loft, Adam Lennox, Ajay Faleafaga, Tanielu Tele’a
Referee: Jordan Way
Assistant Referees: Matt Kellahan, Jordan Kaminski
TMO: James Leckie
