HERIOT'S won the BT Premiership final in the most dramatic of circumstances yesterday, with No 8 Jason Hill diving over for the winning try in injury time against Melrose.

Heriot's - who had finished top of the regular season table before the play-offs - were trailing 20-17 with seconds remaining at Goldenacre. That was until back-row Jamie Ritchie burst up the right, fended off a couple of defenders and fed a pass to centre Keith Buchan. Buchan was stopped just short, but he managed to recycle and Hill was the man to pick it up and get over to clinch the match. He was then mobbed by his team-mates and back-room staff.

After the team had been presented with the trophy, Hill, a Scotland Club XV cap, said: "I just cannot believe that ending. When we went behind we got a bit nervous, but we always believed we could still win it and the boys showed great character to get us down the other end and I was just the lucky one who managed to score the try."

In the eighth minute, after the forwards had won a penalty at scrum time, Melrose wing Joe Helps kicked over to make it 3-0 to the visitors.

In the 14th minute, Heriot's scored the day's first try, with captain Jack Turley the man to power his way over with scrum-half Graham Wilson converting. Eleven minutes later Heriot's earned a penalty which Wilson kicked to put them 10-3 up.

Five minutes before half time an excellent try by Melrose captain Fraser Thomson saw them go into the break just two points down. Full-back Thomson cut through the Heriot's defence before exchanging passes with Helps and getting over the line.

The second half burst into life in the 47th minute when Melrose wing Tito Mua ran his way over for a try from 25 metres out. That put them 13-10 up and seconds later a late hit from Heriot's Buchan earned him a yellow. The hosts survived the 10 minutes with 14 men and that set things up nicely for the last 20 minutes. Soon after, Wilson pushed wide a penalty for Heriot's, but they went back ahead with 14 minutes to go. Their second try came from full-back Glenn Bryce with Wilson converting for 17-13.

With six minutes to go centre Andrew Nagle edged over for Melrose's third try, with Richard Mill converting to go 20-17 ahead. That was until Hill sealed an amazing encounter.

Scorers: Heriot's: Tries: Turley, Bryce, Hill. Pen: Wilson. Cons: Wilson 2. Melrose: Tries: Thomson, Mua, Nagle. Pen: Helps. Con: Mill.

Heriot's: G Bryce; C Simpson, L Steele, K Buchan, C Goudie; G McNeish, G Wilson; N Borel, G Turner, S Cessford, R Nimmo, J Turley, J Ritchie, J Hill, J McLean. Subs: S Mustard, JP Ward, J Syme, D Levison, C Mulligan, S Edwards, M Learmonth.

Melrose: F Thomson; T Mua, T Galbraith, A Nagle, J Helps; A Loockington, B Colvine; N Beavon, T Pearce, E McQuillin, J Head, L Carmichael, N Irvine-Hess, G Dodds, G Runciman. Subs: R Ferguson, N Little, P Eccles, H Blake, B Hutchison, M McAndrew, R Mill.

Referee: L Linton.