The Steamers have finally put another tick in the W column.

They've got up to beat Southland 26-22 in their Mitre 10 Cup encounter in Invercargill, relying on a late try to lock Kane Le'aupepe and desperate scrambling defence in a dramatic final sequence after the hooter to secure their third win of the season, and first in seven matches.

Ironically Le'aupepe's try was their fourth, meaning they got the win with bonus point they would have needed to keep their Championship division semifinal hopes alive, except that Northland's bonus point in their Saturday loss to Waikato had put them out of sight and eliminated the Steamers from playoff contention.

It was a hard-won victory for the Steamers, who had to overcome a strong resurgence through the mid-period of the match from the desperate home side, looking for their first win in exactly two years. They can give themselves a pat on the back for their resilience in hanging on and snatching the win at the end of their third match in 10 days.

They began the match looking hell-bent on proving a point, knowing their playoffs chances had gone, and earned themselves a 19-5 lead after the first half hour with a combination of forward power and accurate quickfire passing.

Wing Bailey Simonsson was first over the line at the end of a simple move off the back of an attacking scrum. No. 8 Hoani Matenga picked up and went to the blindside, where Southland's defence was non-existent, then fed to halfback Luke Campbell who skipped it on to Simonsson.

Forward power then took over for the next try as hooker Tom Crozier got over at the bottom of a lineout drive, moments after being turned down for an almost identical effort by the referee and TMO who couldn't see a grounding.

That was Southland's cue to get themselves up and running, and they produced a try to wing Lewis Ormond at the end of a quality multi-phase movement which made you wonder how it is they haven't won a match in two years.

The Steamers struck straight back, however, going to a lineout in the corner from a penalty. But this time instead of going for the regulation driving maul they pulled out a variation, with Mitch Karpik taking it out of the back of the driving pack and firing a long pass left to wing Fa'asiu Fuatai who did a good job of beating his man and diving over just inside the flag.

But it was almost as if their first half hour's effort had emptied the tank.

Southland took the initiative with their second try to prop Morgan Mitchell which closed it to 19-12 at the break, then kept the heat on in the third quarter. A well taken try to wing Isaac Te Tamaki levelled it at 19-all with James Wilson's conversion, then he put his side deservedly in front with a penalty as the match headed into the final 10 minutes.

It was a 40 minute period through the middle of the match when the Steamers went totally off the boil, looking as if their energy and motivation had finally run out on them after an underwhelming season.

To their credit though they got their heads down again, with the help of fresh legs off the bench, and fought back into the lead with Le'aupepe's try after 73 minutes. A break from Fuatai got them in good scoring position, then quick phase play and passing put the big lock into a position to use his strength to score under the posts.

The conversion from Luke Campbell, who took over the kicking duties when Kaleb Trask went off, took it out to 26-22.

They still had five minutes to protect the lead, and were making a good job of doing so, holding possession deep in Southland's half, but then came the final hooter, and an unnecessarily tense finale.

All Campbell had to do was gather the ball from the back of a scrum deep in Southland territory and hoof it for touch. But he reckoned without the sharp work of his opposite number who sacked him before he could get his kick away, forcing a turnover from which the home side scampered away up field and looked a good chance to steal the most unlikely of victories.

The crisis was averted though for the Steamers when the ball was spilt their way and Chase Tiatia was able to clear to the sideline.

Having got the winning feeling back they now have one last chance to enjoy it as they take on Northland, the side has that snuck into the fourth semifinal position ahead of them, this Saturday at Tauranga Domain.

Bay of Plenty 26 (Bailey Simonsson, Tom Crozier, Fa'asiu Fuatai, Kane Leaupepe tries; Kaleb Trask 2 con, Luke Campbell con)

Southland 22 (Lewis Ormond, Morgan Mitchell, Isaac Te Tamaki tries; James Wilson 2 con, pen)

HT: 19-12