The Northern Mystics hauled themselves off the bottom of the ANZ Championship netball table with a fighting 50-48 win over the Southern Steel in Invercargill on Monday night.
With their backs to the ball after four straight losses, the Mystics showed desperate fighting qualities in a gripping final quarter.
On the back foot throughout, the Mystics went ahead for the first time during the final six minutes and clung on with fierce determination to spoil the Steel's first home game of the season.
The Mystics troublesome attacking line made a strong start, showing plenty of patience as 1.87m shooter Cathrine Latu found good positioning under the hoop.
At the other end, the Steel shooters were a little more hesitant before Megan Dehn and Daneka Wipiiti found their feet.
A couple of timely intercepts by goal defence Katrina Grant broke the early deadlock and ignited the home team into life.
Former Australian international Dehn did a masterful job at setting up the Steel's attacking momentum where she was particularly effective in off-loading to the tall target of Wipiiti. The towering shooter quickly found her range as the Steel gained the upper hand with a string of goals to lead 18-12 at the first quarter break.
A rearranged defence line helped the Mystics right the ship in the second quarter where Leana de Bruin and Sheryl Scanlan were prominent.
The Steel shooters were made to work harder for profit as the Mystics chipped away at the deficit. However, all the hard work was undone with a spate of late errors as the Steel finished the quarter with a flourish to take a 30-24 halftime lead.
The Mystics turned up the intensity at the start of the third quarter, applying the heat to Wipiiti, who had some anxious moments against the taller and more mobile de Bruin.
A quick succession of goals had the Mystics trailing by just two goals before the Steel regained some of their earlier poise to hold the visitors at bay.
As play slowed considerably, the game turned into a battle of attrition as both sets of defences proved good spoilers and turnovers came thick and fast.
Through all the mayhem, Dehn retained her poise to remain the guiding light in the Steel's attacking third. Time and again, she popped up in the right place or with the perfect pass to keep the southerners marginally in front.
With their season on the line, the Mystics took up the challenge as they fought hard to add some respectability to their season. Finding better continuity on attack, young shooters Latu and Jade Topia played a more effective role and held their nerve against some tight defence.
Taking the lead of their inspiring captain Temepara George, the Mystics set up a tense final stanza with a powerful third quarter. The visitors stormed back into contention, eating into the Steel's lead to trail by a slim 39-41 and full of desire as they headed down the home straight.