Edinburgh suffered an agonising home defeat by Emirates Lions thanks to Gianni Lombard's late penalty.

But the visitors responded like for like thanks to touch downs from Andries Coetzee, Henco Van Wyk and Fracke Horn.

And Lions inflicted a third straight United Rugby Championship loss against South African opponents as Lombardi put them ahead for the first time.

A bruising battle burst into life after a largely uneventful first half, but the Lions just deserved the win thanks to their apparently endless reserves of energy.

After fly-half Lombard was off target with a penalty attempt and then a drop-goal effort, the stalemate was broken midway through the first half after Blair Kinghorn sent a penalty to touch.

Lineout ball was cleanly won and the Edinburgh maul eventually got over the line, with Mata finishing off.

The visitors drew level five minutes before the break following their one sustained attack in the first half.

Some powerful carries forced Edinburgh - beaten by the Bulls and the Stormers on their recent tour to South Africa - to funnel in towards the posts and eventually enough space was created for full-back Coetzee to finish off.

Edinburgh regained the lead 10 minutes into the second half after a move down the line ended with Emiliano Boffelli passing to Graham.

The winger beat the first man then dived over the line as two more defenders leapt in to try to force him into touch. Boffelli, who had crucially come off his wing to provide the extra man, converted to give Edinburgh a 12-5 lead.

The Lions quickly hit back, however. A move in midfield appeared innocuous enough when Van Wyk collected a pass, but when Matt Currie and James Lang both failed to put him down, space opened up in front of him and he raced clear to the line. Lombard's conversion levelled the scores.

Right on the hour mark, Edinburgh went in front again when Muncaster finished off a lineout maul. Boffelli added the two points again.

Lions, though, got their own third try five minutes later when number eight Horn finished off from close range. Lombard's conversion drew the Lions level once more.

Seven minutes from time, a hack ahead deep into Edinburgh territory ended with Graham being penalised for not releasing - and also limping off injured.

Lombard scored to put Lions three points ahead - and that was enough to move the visitors up to third in the table, a point behind Leinster and Vodacom Bulls, with Edinburgh down in ninth.

Edinburgh: Immelman, Graham, Currie, Lang, Boffelli, Kinghorn, Pyrgos, Venter, McInally, De Bruin, Young, Gilchrist, Crosbie, Watson, Mata.

Replacements: Cherry, Schoeman, Nel, Sykes, Muncaster, Shiel, Savala, Dean.

Emirates Lions: Coetzee, Pienaar, H van Wyk, Louw, Q Horn, Lombard, Nohamba, S Sithole, Botha, Dreyer, Van Vuren, Nothnagel, Sangweni, Venter, F Horn.

Replacements: Visagie, J. Smith, R Smith, E Tshituka, Straeuli, van den Berg, Hendrikse, Z du Plessis.

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)