The Chiefs have fallen agonisingly short 18-17 against the Crusaders in yet another titanic battle between the fierce rivals in Hamilton tonight.

With time up on the clock Chiefs first five eighth Gareth Anscombe had a 55m penalty attempt in front of himself and 17,097 fans to continue the Chiefs stranglehold hold over the southern men.

Chiefs midfield Bundee Aki attempts to break to tackle of Crusaders first five eighth Colin Slade. Photos: Tracy Hardy.

But in a game where every centimetre counted the kick fell short condemning the home side to its second loss of the season and the Crusaders their third consecutive victory.

Despite sitting five spots above the visitors on the Super Rugby ladder the Chiefs yet again stuttered through their all too familiar slow start – something the Crusaders were happy to take.

Combative and clinical the Crusaders were a relentless red wave early on driving the Chiefs back at every chance jumping out to a 9-3 lead in front of 17,097 vocal fans.

Stunned by the quick onslaught the hosts were failing to fire any punches against the seven-time Super Rugby champions with a wobbly lineout and scrum doing them no favours.

But with an aggressive Dominic Bird shoulder charge reducing the visitors to 14 men the Chiefs immediately found some desperate rhythm and composure turning the tables on their opponents.

Clearance kicks and the referee's whistle began falling in their favour and before long the defending champions held a rare 12-9 lead.

Adding to the southerners woes on the stroke of halftime Chiefs fullback Tom Marshall came back to bite his former side producing a sublime individual effort beating three players to score in the corner.

Precariously poised at 17-12 early in the second stanza the two New Zealand powerhouses continued their brutal tussle at a frantic pace.

After an initial 26 phase hammering on the Crusaders try line accounting for little the Chiefs were forced back out of the game with the Crusaders mounting a comeback through the boot of Colin Slade.

Trailing 17-9 at the break, a glut of Chiefs penalties gave Slade plenty of opportunities putting his side 18-17 in front, which they were able to desperately cling on to.

Attacking from nearly every inch of the field in the final few minutes the Chiefs were unable to find the spark needed to find a chink in the Crusaders armour with Anscombe's miss the final nail in the coffin.

Chiefs 17: Tom Marshall tries; Gareth Anscombe 4 pen, con

Crusaders 18: tries; Colin Slade 6 pen, con

Half time: 17-9