Biggar 17-19 Heriot's Blues: Last gasp Heriot's try is devastating blow to Biggar promotion hopes

The Hartreemill team had led for virtually the whole game until the large home support was sickened when the ball squirted out the back of the last scrum and was pounced upon by Heriot’s hooker Danny Dineen to score a match-winning try.

The unsuccessful conversion ended the match.

The defeat sees Biggar drop out of the league’s top two for the first time in three seasons.

Biggar secretary Mike Booth said: “Losing that last gasp try was devastating. We just fumbled the ball, their scrum half picked it up, popped over and that was that.

"Literally all we had to do to see it out was win the scrum and kick the ball out.”

Biggar had earlier started well in front of a big crowd and, after 20 minutes, hooker Ewan Stewart dotted the ball over the line for a great score converted by Euan Bogle for a 7-0 lead.

Bogle’s penalty made it 10-0 by half-time but the hosts’ advantage was cut to three points via a Dineen try converted by Graham Wilson.

After offences by Blues’ Callum Marshall saw him sin binned, Biggar looked good for the win when another lineout drive was finished by Stewart for his second score, converted by Bogle for 17-7.

But a Dominic Martin try converted by Wilson reduced the visitors’ leeway to three points.

There was then a major blow for Biggar as Craig Borthwick was sent off after thumping Maxwell Oliver in a tackle, the referee ruling that the Heriot’s replacement had been struck on the head.

A sea of late pressure followed from the visitors before the dramatic conclusion which earned them a priceless win.

Biggar’s current 61-point haul from 16 games leaves them six points adrift of leaders Heriot’s who have played a game more.

Booth added: "The loss of that late score is going to make it – not impossible – but very hard to win the league now.

"It would be a bit of a miracle to get over the line now but the chance is still there statistically.”

Second placed Gala – who host Biggar in the league this Friday night in what looks a ‘must win’ fixture – are second in the standings with 62 points from 15 matches.

"Obviously it’s a must win fixture,” Booth said. “I just hope that the lads don’t get their heads down now.

"They’re not known for doing that. They’re known for just picking themselves up and getting on with it so I’m sure that’s what they’ll do and we’ll see where we come out.”