RaboDirect Pro12: Scarlets see off Dragons to stay in the hunt
Scarlets maintained their top-four bid with a 28-20 win over the Dragons, although they missed out on a bonus point.
Last Updated: 30/03/13 5:09pm
The Dragons had not beaten the Scarlets in league rugby since 2008 and the Gwent outfit spent most of the opening exchanges on the back foot.
The pressure finally paid off when Scarlets fly-half Owen Williams knocked over a penalty, with Wales star Toby Faletau also sent to the sin bin after a succession of team offences.
And the 14-man Dragons were facing a 10-point deficit when star winger George North, subject of transfer interest from Northampton, was put over the whitewash by scrum-half Aled Davies.
But for all their dominance, the Scarlets headed into the break on level terms after Dragons scrum-half Jonathan Evans spotted a gap at a ruck and raced over from 25 metres for a fine individual score.
Full-back Tom Prydie converted and then knocked over a penalty with the last kick of the half to make it 10-10.
The second half was a more even contest with Dragons causing problems through fly-half Dan Evans, wing Will Harries and full-back Prydie.
But it was the Scarlets that led 16-13 entering the final quarter thanks to a pair of Williams penalties to one by Prydie.
And, suddenly, the west Walians were in a position to chase the four-try bonus point in the closing stages after quickfire tries by international pair Jonathan Davies and North.
Dan Evans, playing his old region, got a try that his all-action display deserved to make it 28-20 with five minutes remaining.
That was how it stayed, the Scarlets getting four points but left to rue failing to cross the whitewash one more time.
