Guinness PRO12: Cardiff Blues edge out Newport Gwent Dragons
Last Updated: 03/01/15 8:23pm
Cory Allen scored the game's only try as Cardiff Blues made amends for their Boxing Day defeat to Newport Gwent Dragons with an 11-9 triumph at Rodney Parade.
Allen crossed over on the quarter-hour mark after good work from fly-half Gareth Anscombe, who had a great day with ball in hand but would have been disappointed with his slow start with the boot.
Tom Prydie's penalty edged the Dragons ahead after the break but Anscombe finally found his range to convert the decisive penalty to deny the home side, who won the reverse fixture 23-17 just six days earlier.
An impressive start from the Dragons saw them deep in Cardiff territory and when Josh Navidi was caught offside, Prydie opened up a 3-0 lead after three minutes.
Anscombe missed with a penalty attempt after an impressive scrum from Cardiff, but the Blues eventually took the lead on 16 minutes when Anscombe found Allen in space, the centre selling Matthew Pewtner a dummy and crossing over for the try.
The No 10 could not add the extras but looked to be setting up Cardiff’s second try after Gethin Jenkins found some space, however they could not finish it off and took a slender two-point lead into the break.
Anscombe finally found his range with the boot when he sent a drop-goal between the posts amid Cardiff's penalty advantage to make it 8-3.
Prydie hit back from the tee after Filo Paulo was penalised for a shove off the ball, but opted to kick to touch rather than the posts minutes later when the Dragons were awarded a penalty at the halfway line.
Missed chances
That took them deep into Cardiff territory and, after winning another penalty, quick-thinking from Jonathan Evans created an opening, only for the scrum-half to pass behind Hallam Amos with the try-line begging.
Pewtner then thought he had scored, only for the referee to rule that Rynard Landman has obstructed the defence in the process.
Prydie did eventually kick the Dragons ahead with his third penalty but missed the opportunity to stretch that lead from the tee five minutes later.
Joaquin Tuculet's neat offload sent Gavin Evans storming clear after 65 minutes but, with an overlap on the right, the Blues could not capitalise.
Anscombe then edged the visitors back in front with a 40-metre penalty but full-back Tuculet knocked-on a Dragons clearance three minutes from time to put the pressure on.
As the clock ticked down, Prydie sent a long-range drop-goal wide and the Blues held on to claim four points and prevent the Dragons from leapfrogging them in the PRO12 table.
