Two successive defeats does not mean fait accompli, but Graham will need to lift his troops as the second half of the season kicks in at the weekend with the visit of Ayr.

Graham admitted: “I was not angry. We were well beaten, but we are disappointed.” That sums up the Gala performance in which power and strength were the key ingredients for the aggressive opponents. Gala were too often on the back foot with the gallant pack unable to respond to the force of the visitors.

The loss of consistent form has worried Graham. “What bothers me is that we have not played well for the past two weeks (defeats by Melrose and Heriot’s).

“The players are disappointed with each other and looking for answers. It is easy to blame someone else, but that is not what we are about.

“We are going through a bad patch. Every club does that. But we have high standards here.

“We do not like losing. Ideally we want to be at the top of the pile (for the play-offs) and get a home draw, and we must ensure that we finish at least fourth.” Heriot’s had not won at Gala since 2008, and the Maroons, who lost out on the league title to Melrose on the last game of last season, kept in contention after Shaun Law’s try in 49 minutes to cut the deficit to 12-13.

It was good refereeing by Thomas Charabas that led to Heriot’s opening try (after Graham Wilson had missed a penalty) when he allowed advantage after Gala were penalised, and the city side quickly swung the ball wide for Charlie Simpson to crash over in the left-hand corner for a 5-0 lead.

The levelling try came in 30 minutes after pressure on the Heriot’s line. Wilson was sent to the sin-bin and the Gala scrum pressure paid off as Luke Pettie was driven over, and for the only time in the game, Craig Dods’ conversion put the home side ahead.

Four minutes later, Heriot’s swept back into the lead when Jason Hill’s driving play produced a try to give his side an interval lead.

However, with Wilson back on the field, the No. 9 kicked a penalty from just inside the Gala half only for Law to sprint over.

Wilson widened the gap between the sides with his second penalty and then missed another as Gala handled in the ruck.

But Heriot’s power was beginning to take its toll as Stuart Edwards bulleted his way over the line from a quickly-taken penalty, Wilson converting, and Gala’s hopes of salvaging even a bonus point eroded when, in the 75th minute, full back Glenn Bryce blazed a path over the line.

Wilson again converted, the bonus point was secured, and Heriot’s kept ahead of Ayr in the title challenge. The clocks may have gone back on Saturday night, but Heriot’s moved forward with good timing.

Gala: C. Dods; S. Law, K. Young, A. Emond, G. Somerville; R. Jeffrey, George Graham; L. Pettie, R. Anderson, G. Robertson; C. Weir, O. Palepoi, Gary Graham, E. Dods, S. Cairns. Replacements: C. Mackintosh, J. Irvine, T. Weir, G. Speirs, E. Scott.