Highlanders coach Glenn Moore said his side knew it was under pressure this week but it was about how the players reacted to that pressure which would help them bag a win.
Going into last night's game with just one win from six matches, Moore said he told the players to get excited from the pressure they were under.
"Pressure handled right makes things a whole lot better. When things are going wrong you learn a whole lot more about yourself then when things are going right," Moore said.
"We were in a pit there but we had to find a way out of it."
Moore said the side did not play badly in the first 30 minutes but was trying to force things which did not have to be forced.
"We pushed our game a little bit and there was a lot of excitement out there. The message we told them was we can't afford to give away penalties and let their rolling maul get on top of us."
He stressed to the side it needed to show composure when it had the ball. The key was to get the ball and hang on to it.
Moore said referee Stuart Dickinson was an experienced international referee and they had to roll with the decisions but he felt the team was unlucky to have a fourth try ruled out when lock Josh Bekhuis was penalised for an obstruction.
"[On the other hand] it was a good feeling to be on the right side of the ledger for a penalty try for once."
He admitted it can be frustrating to have different interpretations at the breakdown from week to week, and decision-making at the breakdown had to be almost instant, which was sometimes difficult.
Highlanders prop Jamie Mackintosh was forced to leave the field in the second half with a foot injury while captain Jimmy Cowan went off shortly after when he re-dislocated the little finger on his right hand.
Lions coach Dick Muir said indiscipline cost his team and it had gone away from the game plan after 20 minutes.
