The sun shone on Blenheim and Northland, as Ash Moeke broke yet more hearts with an 80th-minute penalty to sneak home 20-17.
Ticker outshone statistics, as the last 10 minutes were all that mattered, with the boys from the north pulling a huge rabbit from their hat.
The performance from the home side would have left coach Kieran Keane without natural hair, as they conspired for 80 minutes to test his patience, and the will of a sturdy and overworked Taniwha defence.
The pace of play began as unsustainable, but as the shadows lengthened across the quaint Landsdowne Park, the game quickened with fitness levels freakish.
In conditions perfect for the running style of both teams, only a penalty apiece bothered the scorer in the first half hour, with the home side persisting and prospering with their straight running into the breeze.
Full-o-beans fullback Robbie Malneek and wingman Peter Betham spearheaded the Tasman attacks from deep that were held by the light blue's wall, but who only had Rene Ranger surges in response.
Shifting the ball from side to side with ultimate assuredness, the hosts began a creative monopoly that, although not resulting in points, looked to be wearing the bulky Northlander's down, as they fell off tackles, only to scramble when it required.
Lack of Mako ball security halted the scoreboard ticking over to follow the momentum of the match before one such mistake gave the visitor's the opportunity to build and was duly finished by Derek Carpenter, falling over the line from a flat pass from his halfback Samisoni Fisilau.
The ease at which the try was scored validated the Taniwha's plan to scavenge at the breakdown, often isolating and spoiling the front foot sorties from the Mako loosies and busy halfback Jeremy Su'a.
After the break, the Mako's inconceivably spent six minutes battering the try line only to leave with three points to bring the score to 10-6 in Northland's favour.
The pressure and the penalties kept on coming and a daft foot from openside Jack Ram to disturb Tasman's five metre scrum resulted in a yellow card and a gift for Hayden Cripps in front.
Fourteen men and the speed of the Tasman assault came to bear as Filipo Levi bustled over to reward the constant pounding of the line.
A mammoth penalty from Andrew Goodman stretched the lead as Northland forgot what the ball felt like with under 40 percent possession.
Another careless carry and Mateo Malupo pounced to scream away from thirty metres out to somehow even the game at 17 all with ten minutes to play.
The opportunities missed hurt as the northerner's grew another leg and stole the show.
Tasman 17 (F.Levi try; H. Cripps 3 pens; A.Goodman pen) Northland 20 (D.Carpenter, M.Malupo tries; A.Moeke 2 cons; Moeke 2 pens); HT: 3-10