It was a tight battle, with a comical touch at the end as the Highlanders tried to end the game twice due to a faulty stadium timepiece, but eventually the home side triumphed over the Crusaders in a packed house.
The home side deserved the victory as it fashioned more chances and was feisty around the breakdown.
Lock Nick Crosswell said the match was one where the Highlanders simply had to impose their own game plan on the opposition.
"The plan was to run them round. I think there was no use kicking all the pill away to them," Crosswell said.
"We wanted to ask the questions and get the rewards from that. We did that and it rewarded us.
"There will be confidence from the win. Each game gets harder - it is an old cliche, but true. We will keep our feet on the ground and there are positives and some negatives. We will take what we can out of the game but there is a lot of work to be done."
Crosswell was one of the stand-outs of a committed Highlanders pack which met the Crusaders' eight head-on and won the battle in and around the ruck.
The regular loose forward is looking at home at lock and does have some experience in that area, having played there as a schoolboy.
"There is not much difference between lock and loose forward. The way the lineout is now, everyone is a jumper and everyone is a lifter. We end up in the set phase and you do what you do. At ruck time you all do the same thing, hit rucks and make plays."
The Highlanders led 20-10 at the break but conceded 14 points to the Crusaders before Hosea Gear scored in the corner with 10 minutes to go. That gave the Highlanders a lead they were just able to protect.
The sideline conversion from Lima Sopoaga of Gear's try was crucial, and despite the confusion with the clock, the Highlanders got home.
It looked relatively straightforward in the first half for the home side, as it dominated possession and created chances.
After Crusaders winger Israel Dagg scored following a nice set move off a lineout after 14 minutes, the Highlanders made all the play.
Andrew Hore replied to Dagg's effort virtually straight away, after a fine run by second five-eighth Phil Burleigh, followed by good work by Adam Thomson.
Flanker John Hardie then broke the line a couple of times but his efforts came to nothing on the scoreboard.
Burleigh got over on the stroke of halftime, and the home side had something to show for its efforts,Best for the home team were Hore, Hardie and halfback Aaron Smith, while Sopoaga did little wrong.
Crusaders halfback Andy Ellis was strong in everything he did and the Crusaders were typically clinical at the set piece.
• The Crusaders Knights beat the Highlanders Development side 24-14 at Logan Park on Saturday. The home side led 14-7 at the break but had little ball to play with in the second half.
Highlanders v Crusaders
The scores
Highlanders - 27
Andrew Hore, Phil Burleigh, Hosea Gear tries; Lima Sopoaga 3 con, 2 pen
Crusaders - 24
Israel Dagg, Andy Ellis tries; Tyler Bleyendaal con, 4 pen
Halftime: Highlanders 20-10
Crowd: 22,500
