But when British and Irish Lions centre Jonathan Joseph came up with a fumble shortly after the fulltime hooter, the crowd at Forsyth Barr Stadium rose to celebrate a nail-biting 23-22 win to the Highlanders last night.
The Lions tour record now stands at played four, won two.
It started so positively for the tourists.
They ran out to the theme music from Mission Impossible, while the Highlanders had a lone bagpiper tagging along.
Ten-year-old Carter Dermody did not miss a beat, though. He accompanied his father, former Highlander and All Black Clarke Dermody, on to the field for the presentation of a ceremonial claymore.
The pair handed it to Highlanders captain Luke Whitelock, who presented it to Lions captain Sam Warburton.
Moments later, Waisake Naholo was zipping down the touch line and heading for the corner.
He met a red road block that time, but eventually the Highlanders winger danced over to score the game's opening try midway through the first half.
Lions coach Warren Gatland would have been seething.
But Lima Sopoaga's kick-pass early in the second half would have brought some relief.
Tommy Seymour plucked it out of the air and ran in the Lions' second try.
The Highlanders pivot made another crucial blunder when a misdirected pass ended up in the in-goal area.
The Lions muscled over through Warburton shortly after, and the game looked like it was slipping away for the home town heroes.
But, there was a bolt of renewed optimism for much of the 26,920 crowd when Liam Coltman crashed over for a try.
Then Marty Banks put the home side in front with a penalty from out wide. You beauty.