Late try gives Edinburgh one-point win over Zebre

United Rugby Championship Edinburgh (19) 31 Tries: Boyle, Patterson, Ashman 2, Venter Cons: Thompson 2, Scott Zebre (15) 30 Tries: Fusco, Gesi, Trulla, Nocera Cons: Montemauri 3 Pens: Montemauri 2 Hector Patterson scored on his debut as a late try from Boan Venter secured Edinburgh a fraught one-point win at home to Zebre. The United Rugby Championship's bottom side were on course for a second win over Edinburgh this season until the South Africa loosehead smashed his way over on 79 minutes, with fellow replacement Cammy Scott knocking over the all-important conversion. Edinburgh lost out to a late penalty in Parma on the opening day of the season but the visitors had only managed one other victory since.

The Italians were ahead when Alessandro Fusco and then Simone Gesi responded to Connor Boyle's opening try on five minutes. Patterson then made it a first professional start to remember when the 21-year-old scrum half found a way through a gap from close range after 19 minutes. Ewan Ashman bulldozed in to stretch Edinburgh's lead, with a Giovanni Montemauri penalty on the stroke of half-time making it 19-15 at the interval.

Zebre nudged in front again when Jacopo Trulla raced through to touch down early in the second period, Montemauri failing to land the extras for a second time. The see-saw scoring continued as Ashman added his second try from a driving maul, only for Montemauri to clip over another penalty. Zebre were further in front with just six minutes remaining when a long video review ruled Matteo Nocera had scored after a no-try verdict from the referee.

However, the hosts were not to be denied a fifth win of what has been a largely miserable campaign as Venter finished off a period of sustained pressure. Edinburgh leapfrog Benetton into 12th place in the 16-team division. Line-ups Edinburgh: O'Conor, Graham, M.