Heriot's 27 - 14 Stewart's Melville: Heriot's survive scare

Heriot's were given a huge scare by Stewart's Melville in their pool E Premier Cup clash at Goldenacre before eventually gaining the victory.

The hosts had built up a 15-0 lead before two converted tries by Donald Sangster left the visitors just a point behind with 11 minutes to go. A Struan Dewar try for Heriot's made it 20-14 with five minutes left, but even then they were made to fight hard right until Jason Hill's try in the last minute sealed things.

Premier Two side Stewart's Melville more than matched their top-flight hosts during the first half and defended manfully. Both teams had chances, but, once caught, the ball carriers lacked the composure to find a team-mate and keep the moves going.

And it took until the last play of the half for the deadlock to be broken.

Stewart's Melville centre Seb Trotter lost the ball in contact trying to run it out of his own 22 and Heriot's pounced on the mistake, stand-off Richard Mill the man to go over with captain Graham Wilson converting. Heriot's went further ahead after 43 minutes when Wilson kicked a penalty as the home side tried to take control of things.

Mill then added his second try of the afternoon six minutes later, but Stewart's Melville kept going.

And they got the tries their efforts merited when former Peebles back-row Sangster went over in the 59th and 69th minutes - the latter after a run from his own half - with Nick McCashin converting both to make it 15-14.

In this end-to-end tussle Scotland Sevens man Dewar then went over in the corner, despite what looked like a forward pass by Colin Goudie, and then second-row Hill clinched it with a converted try under the posts.