They kept it up in the second stanza as Evans added a penalty and then Jamie Hughes, back at flanker and playing well, scored out on the left wing.
Two more penalties, the latter coming very late in the piece and Border were shocked to find themselves trailing by one point with the clock running down.
They made a deep kick-off and Ruapehu got penalised from the maul, with Harding having the last chance to win the game back.
New Border lock Gavin Thornbury had a strong match, while Cole Baldwin was back at hooker and also stood up.
Although Ruapehu have now fallen seven points behind fourth-placed Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist during this tough fortnight of games - facing unbeaten PGG Wrightson/Balance Taihape this week - having now got back to quality player numbers still leaves them a faint hope of the top four.
Marist earned their gap on the table with a 49-19 win in the home derby with Black Bull Liquor Pirates in a match there is likely to be more heard from this week.
The rivalry can get bitter at times and, with Pirates in do-or-die mode, the game ended with seven late sin-binnings by Gordon Ririnui.
WRFU club liaison Paul Kenny confirmed the likelihood of citings, joining Ratana's Onewa Tai being sent off against Utiku - the fourth red card across both grades this season.
In the actual rugby stakes, both Marist wingers had good afternoons with Josaia Bogileka getting a hat-trick and Simon Dibben a double.
Pirates welcomed back Pene Ulukuta from Fiji where he has been helping his family after the floods, as both he and older brother Lasa Ulukuta combined to score their team's three tries.
At Memorial Park, Taihape are up and rolling for the second round with a convincing 43-15 win over Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau in the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield defence.
With coach Kerry Whale and captain Tremaine Gilbert back on deck, the home side had run out to a 26-0 lead at halftime, and although Kaierau came back with three unconverted tries in the second half, it was too little, too late.
Taihape's James Barrett and Jaye Flaws both scored twice, while Luke Whale moved into the flanker position and was impressive.
Mobile Kaierau prop Jack Yarrall continues to find the tryline while first-five Dion Hyland, having more responsibilities with veteran Ace Malo out with a broken arm, had a good match.
Taihape reasserted their four-point lead on the top of the table from Border.
In the Senior competition, undefeated Settlers Honey Ngamatapouri took over sole ownership of the top of the table with a 76-0 hammering of Utiku Old Boys - the former club of several of their Fijian stars.
Meanwhile, fellow leaders Kaierau fell to their second loss against a Ruapehu team fighting to stay in the Top 8, coming from 12-10 down at halftime to win 24-17 in Ohakune.
In the battle of fourth and fifth, Speirs Food Marton ground out an important 14-7 win away from home against Taihape, while, in wet conditions, Kelso Hunterville slogged out a 9-3 victory over Border in Waverley.
Border are now hanging at the end of the top eight.
They will be looking over their shoulder as Counties got the automatic five points for the Ratana default and Pirates made a second half comeback to beat Marist Buffalos 18-12 at Spriggens Park.
