Guinness PRO12: Dragons 20-21 Cardiff Blues
By Keith Moore
Last Updated: 25/01/16 11:29am
An 80th-minute penalty from Rhys Patchell handed the Blues a 21-20 win over the Dragons at Rodney Parade on Sunday.
The Dragons led throughout the encounter, and were 11 points up with 15 minutes remaining before Lewis Evans handed the Blues a penalty try when he transgressed under his side's posts.
The No 8 was shown a yellow card for the offence, and the Blues used the opportunity to come from behind as Tom James scored in the corner. Patchell missed the conversion but slotted the last-gasp penalty with 30 seconds on the clock for an unlikely win for the visitors.
It was a heartbreaking loss for the Dragons, who played enterprising rugby in the opening stages, and appeared in control as the game drew to a close.
Dorian Jones got the scoring underway when he stepped into the pocket and slotted a drop goal after several phases deep inside the opposition half.
The fly-half turned provider moments later when he sent a looping pass to Ashton Hewitt on the wing, with Hewitt fending off the last two defenders to score in the corner. Jones missed the conversion but Dragons were 8-0 up with ten minutes played.
Patchell called for the kicking tee when Adam Hughes put in an early tackle while the Blues were on attack, and the full-back sent his first attempt between the poles before bringing the Blues to within two points when Nick Cudd was penalised for being caught up on the wrong side of a ruck.
Both sides had opportunities to score but were unable to add to their account before Blues scrum-half Lloyd Williams infringed at a ruck to hand Jones a shot at goal to send Dragons into a 11-6 lead at the break.
The No 10 added a further penalty within two minutes of the second half getting underway when James Down ran around the breakdown to play the ball from an offside position, before Jones put his side 11 points ahead at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
The Blues hit back when they put a penalty into touch to set up the driving maul. They looked set to score from it as Josh Navidi had the ball under his arm when the Dragons splintered in defence, but Lewis Evans ran around to tackle Navidi from an offside position, earning the No 8 a yellow card and the Blues a penalty try.
Another Jones penalty gave Dragons a 20-13 lead with eight minutes remaining, but the Blues made the extra man count when Dan Fish dummied and broke through the midfield with an overlap looming before passing to Tom James in the tackle for a Blues try. Patchell missed the conversion, keeping the home side two points ahead as the game drew to a close.
The Blues then broke from their own 22m area through Rey Lee-Lo, who was eventually tackled just inside the Dragons' half. The home side rallied in defence but when the ball was sent left the referee awarded the Blues a penalty at the resulting breakdown, and Patchell stepped up to slot the penalty with seconds remaining as the Blues held out for a pulsating win.
