Hawick 17 - 20 Heriot's: Late scores secure spoils as Heriot's come from behind to win dour clash

HERIOT'S emerged triumphant in a scrappy match that they were perhaps a shade fortunate to win - but visiting coach Bob McKillop was happy enough to head back to Edinburgh with victory in the bag.

"It was not pretty, but we have to be pleased with a win down here," said McKillop. "We were glad to get back on the road after our defeat by Dundee.

"We showed a lot of guts and I felt that we were the stronger in the final quarter - we played some strong rugby then."

Hawick coach Derek Armstrong was less than impressed by his side following its fourth home defeat. "The players need to take a look at themselves and we as coaches still have to take a hard look at our training. I thought that Heriot's were poor and that it was a game there to be won. The result hurts me and the players."

Armstrong believed that the result hinged on a second-half 'no score' by Daniel Landels, whom referee Andrew McMenemy judged to have been held up over the line.

"I could not see it properly, but Landels told me that it was a score. That would have probably taken us to 13-3 and it would have been a different game."

Hawick had to rely on the boot of Rory Hutton with four penalties and Landels' 80th-minute try to salvage a losing bonus point.

Heriot's finished strongly with Max Learmonth and Jamie Syme scoring twice in five minutes to add to Cammy Ferguson's earlier score. Graham Wilson added the goal kicks.

The win put Heriot's in the frame for a top-eight position, but for Armstrong there's much work to be done to attain a similar position.

Particularly disappointed by the result was Hawick hooker Matt Landels, who was playing his 250th match for the club.

Scorers: Hawick: Try: D. Landels. Pens: Hutton (4). Heriot's: Tries: Ferguson, Learmonth, Syme. Con: Wilson. Pen: Wilson.

Hawick: G Hogg; M Graham, S Hogg, G Johnstone, S Anderson; R Hutton, G Cottrell; B McNeil, M Landels, S Linton, C Charters, K Davies, N Mactaggart, D Landels, M Robertson. Subs: C Robertson, D Lowrie, R Gibson, A Marsh, L Gibson.

Heriot's: C Goudie; G Bryce, M Learmonth, G Hunter, M Nimmo; C Ferguson, G Wilson; A Dymock, S Burnett, W Blacklock, R Martin, J Hill, J Parker, M Lee, J Syme. Subs: F Gillies, C Cameron, C Osazuwa, L Seydak, P Saunders.

Referee: A McMenemy (Gala).