NZ Warriors have squandered a 12-point lead over the final 10 minutes to suffer their fourth straight loss, 19-18 to St George Dragons at Gosford.
The defeat against one of their closest rivals for a top-eight playoff spot represents a massive setback for the Auckland side, who have now found ways to lose five games this season within sight of fulltime.
Three of those losses have come from field goals at the death.
The Warriors conceded three unconverted tries over the closing stages, but Corey Norman's wayward goalkicking seemed likely to deprive the Dragons victory.
Neither team could nail a winning drop goal in the final moments of regulation or five minutes of extra time, but eventually, Norman found his mark off the bounce to dash Warriors hopes.
St George took an early lead through a Norman penalty and an unconverted try to Ben Hunt, but as halftime approached, the 'home' side seemed to find another gear and snatched the advantage through tries from hooker Wayde Egan and second-rower Eliesa Katoa.
In his return to the Warriors, Chad Townsend shrugged an early shoulder niggle to convert both tries for a 12-6 margin at the break. Katoa was particularly impressive, but left the field twice in the second half with injury and eventually could not return.
The Warriors also lost inspirational forward Tohu Harris through injury, adding to the absence of mercurial backs Reece Walsh and Kodi Nikorima from the starting line-up.
But they extended their lead to 18-6, when Bunty Afoa rumbled over early in the second half and they only needed to control the game from that point.
The Dragons turned the tide, when former Warrior Gerard Beale scored in the corner, then Jack Bird befuddled the Warriors defence with a grubber kick that stayed alive for him to chase down.
Townsend, who had controlled the game masterfully for so long, was guilty of an ill-advised field goal attempt that resulted in a seven-tackle set and Bird's try at the other end.
In the final minute, winger Edwards Kosi and captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck - the defenders found wanting in Bird's try - made a hash of a long kick, conceding a dropout that saw Cody Ramsay level the scores with time up.
Again, Norman could not secure victory off the tee from the sideline, but still proved to himself the man for the moment, as he eventually snatched the unlikely result for his team.
The Warriors have now lost to St George, Manly Sea Eagles (Daly Cherry-Evans) and North Queensland Cowboys (Valentine Holmes) off last-play field goals, while also dropping two games to Newcastle Knights, conceding tries in the last five minutes.
Defeat leaves them outside the top-eight playoff spots and now losing ground, with Shaun Johnson and the in-form Cronulla Sharks looming next week.
St George Dragons 19 (Hunt, Bird, Ramsay & Beale tries; Norman penalty & drop goal) NZ Warriors 18 (Egan, Afoa & Katoa tries; Townsend 3 conversions)
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