Cardiff Blues 15-26 Scarlets: Four on the bounce for visitors
Last Updated: 28/10/16 10:32pm
Scarlets made it four PRO12 victories on the bounce as they picked up a 26-15 win on the road at the Arms Park.
Early in the second half the Scarlets had built a 26-7 lead before holding on determinedly, despite a huge penalty count against them which saw forwards Wyn Jones, Aaron Shingler and Will Boyde all yellow carded.
Thirteen Welsh squad members missed the game, but it lacked nothing in entertainment and the result secured Scarlets' fourth PRO12 victory in a row.
Jonathan Evans, Hadleigh Parkes, Shingler and DTH Van der Merwe scored tries for Scarlets with Rhys Patchell converting three.
Tom James and Blaine Scully scored tries for Blues with Steve Shingler converting and adding a penalty.
The visitors began strongly and dominated the opening minutes as strong runs from Parkes and Werner Kruger set up a seventh-minute try for flanker Shingler.
Scarlets' dream start continued when, three minutes later, Van der Merwe burst away from a ruck and slipped a tackle to send Evans over.
Patchell converted both to give his side a healthy early advantage before Blues got on the scoreboard with a try after James intercepted a John Barclay pass.
The frenetic opening continued as a third try for Scarlets beckoned when Van der Merwe intercepted but a key cover tackle from Rey Lee-Lo hauled the wing down ten metres from the line.
However another interception soon gifted the Scarlets their third try when from inside his own 22, Steffan Hughes picked off another careless pass to send Van der Merwe racing into the corner.
The pace of the game eventually slowed as the match degenerated into a succession of five-metre scrums with the Blues pummelling their opponents' line.
Referee Lloyd Linton issued yellow cards to props Jones and Taufa'ao Filise, as Scarlets somehow kept their 21-7 lead intact at the interval.
Within a minute of the restart, Scarlets collected their bonus point when Patchell burst outside an attempted tackle from replacement Lloyd Williams to create a try for Parkes.
Shingler kicked a penalty before the props returned from the sin-bin in time to see James save Blues by overhauling Van der Merwe as he raced away from inside his own 22.
Blues dominated the third quarter and after visitors' flanker, Boyde was yellow carded, Scully collected a long pass from Jarrod Evans to score his side's second.
With 10 minutes remaining, Shingler became the third Scarlet forward to be sent to the bin but they still survived to record a notable win.
