The Western Force have been made to pay dearly for their ill discipline during a 25-15 Super Rugby Trans-Tasman loss to the Highlanders in Perth.

The Force trailed 20-3 after 36 minutes of Friday night's match before launching a brave comeback that almost saw them reduce the margin to three points.

Down by 10 points early in the second half, the Force came close to scoring on three occasions - only for penalties to bring them undone each time with the line in sight.

A 60th-minute yellow card to reserve prop Greg Holmes - and a Highlanders try a minute later - killed off the Force's victory hopes in front of 13,587 fans at HBF Park, ensuring Australian teams remain without a win after seven matches against Kiwi sides.

The penalty count read 9-3 against the Force at half-time and 12-6 late in the match before the Highlanders committed some ill disciplined acts in the dying minutes for the final count to read 12-9.

"First half, we let ourselves down a fair bit. It was a 9-3 penalty count at half-time," Force coach Tim Sampson said.

"We let the opposition off the hook too often there. There were too many errors and penalties. It's hard to get into a game when you're turning ball over so frequently."

The Force suffered a blow before the game when former All Blacks lock Jeremy Thrush became a late withdrawal.

And flyhalf Jake McIntyre lasted just 22 minutes before being knocked unconscious in a sickening clash of heads with Highlanders winger Patelesio Tomkinson.

Winger Jona Nareki scored the opener in the 12th minute when the Highlanders pulled off a smooth line-out move and scrumhalf Aaron Smith broke through Feleti Kaitu'u's tackle to provide the assist.

The Force were brought undone at the line-out again in the 23rd minute when the Highlanders threw it short and formed a rolling maul for prop Ayden Johnstone to barge over.

Alarm bells were ringing in the 36th minute when a rolling maul congested the Force defence before the ball was offloaded to inside centre Scott Gregory to touch down.

But the home side hit back on half-time with their own piece of magic from a lineout.

Winger Jordan Olowofela made a sharp 20-metre break before dishing off to centre Henry Taefu.

Taefu's pass was knocked down but scrumhalf Tomas Cubelli swooped on the loose ball and shook off a tackle in a sprint to the line.

Domingo Miotti's conversion made it 20-10 at half-time, and the Force dominated long periods early in the second half, only for untimely penalties to bring them undone on three occasions close to the line.

Holmes' yellow card for a high tackle that was swiftly followed by a second try to Gregory extended the margin to 15 points, but the Highlanders were denied a bonus point when Force substitute Angus Wagner scored in the 79th minute.