Scarlets outside-half Aled Thomas broke Edinburgh hearts with a 78th minute penalty, a harsh offside call from the touch judge after the Scots had come from behind to lead.

Replacement Alex Toolis went over in the corner, Greig Tonks slotted the conversion to put his side ahead, but ultimately the comeback was in vain.

Edinburgh kept the ball in hand and stretched the Scarlets in the first half, but despite their possession and pressure they did not make the most of their opportunities.

A stray Edinburgh hand touched a kick through which allowed the Scarlets players who would have been offside to reclaim the loose ball.

They spread it wide where the Scots defence made it too easy for home No 8 Morgan Allen to bullock his way over from 30 metres out.

Steven Shingler added the conversion and a penalty before he went off injured, but replacement Aled Thomas notched a penalty with his first kick of the game as the Scarlets opened up a 10 popint lead.

Edinburgh made the half breaks, but could not finish moves off and while scrum half Nathan Fowles landed his first penalty he hit the post with his second just before half time which could have been a morale-boosting score during the break.

Fowles and Thomas exchanged penalties early in the second half, before Edinburgh forced their way back into the game with No 8 Cornell Du Preez cutting out the frills to barge over from close range.

Toolis then added a second try, but ultimately they had to be content with a losing bonus point.

Scorers: Scarlets: Try – M Allen. Con – S Shingler. Pens – S Shingler, Thomas (4).

Edinburgh: Try – Du Preez, A Toolis. Con – Tonks. Pens – Fowles (2), Tonks.

Scarlets: M Collins; G Owen, R King, H Parkes, DTH van der Merwe; S Shingler, R Williams; P John, K Myhill, P Edwards, G Earle, D Bulbring, A Shingler, W Boyde, M Allen. Subs: R Elias for Myhill , D Evans for John , R Jones for Edwards 52, R Pitman for Boyde 59, S Hughes for King , A Davies for Williams 57, A Thomas for S Shingler 21, S Evans for Collins .

Edinburgh: G Tonks; D Hoyland, M Allen, S Beard, T Brown; P Burleigh, N Fowles; R Sutherland, N Cochrane, J Andress, A Bresler, B Toolis, M Coman (Capt), H Watson, C Du Preez. Subs: G Turner for Cochrane 24, A Dell for Sutherland 44-47, 61, S Berghan for Andress , A Toolis for Coman 55, J Ritchie for Watson 55, S Kennedy for Fowles 51, B Kinghorn for Allen 70, D Fife for Hoyland 51.

Referee: A Brace (IRFU)