Guinness PRO12: Cardiff Blues 20-16 Connacht
Last Updated: 06/12/15 5:58pm
Cardiff Blues earned their second PRO12 win of the season with a 20-16 victory over league leaders Connacht.
Tries from Manoa Vosawai and Tom James set up the victory while Rhys Patchell offered 10 points with the boot.
The Blues opened the scoring in the sixth minute through loose forward Vosawai. They were awarded a penalty which was in a kickable position but they opted instead to kick for the corner and they were rewarded for the confidence in their pack.
The lineout drive ended with Vosawai at the back, and the No 8 crashed over from close quarters for five points.
Connacht hit back almost immediately when Aly Muldowney held up his pass to Matt Healy perfectly to commit the last defender in the opposition 22. Healy was brought down five metres from touch but passed to Ian Porter who stepped the final covering defender to dot down in the corner.
Connacht then took the lead for the first time when they set up a driving maul of their own at the start of the second quarter. The forwards rumbled over and Eoin McKeon, opposite number of Vosawai, dotted down on the back of proceedings. With Porter's second conversion following the first and crashing agonisingly off the upright, Connacht led 10-7.
The two kickers then traded kicks to make it 13-10 to the visitors after 27 minutes, and the scoreline remained unchanged for the remainder of the first half.
The Blues opened the scoring in the second half when a lineout deep in the opposition half brought sustained pressure with several phases in front of the Connacht line. A gap eventually opened up on the left and winger Tom James exploited it for a 17-13 lead following the conversion.
Each kicker then added another kick at goal to keep matters close as the game crept into the fourth quarter.
Connacht came close to scoring a try with four minutes remaining but the TMO spotted a knock-on in the act of scoring and the Blues held out for an important win in front of their home fans.
