Saturday 1 November 2014 20:40, UK
Steven Shingler scored 23 points as an understrength Scarlets recorded a 28-13 victory over Zebre at Parc y Scarlets.
The Italian side were sensing only a second ever away victory in the Guinness Pro12 when they led 13-12 at the break, but the hosts upped their game in the second half.
Shingler's boot and a well-taken try from replacement centre Steffan Hughes proved enough for Scarlets, who were without 18 players because of a combination of international calls and injuries.
Fly-half Shingler, deputising for Rhys Priestland in a team showing eight changes from the line-up that started the win over Leicester last time out, contributed all of the Scarlets' points off the tee during the first 40 minutes of a match played out in miserable conditions.
Opposite number Edoardo Padovanni kicked two penalties himself and also converted Valerio Bernabo's rather fortunate try on the half-hour mark.
Scrum-half Brendon Leonard attempted an audacious drop goal, which rolled along the turf, but it touched a Scarlet en route to full-back Steffan Evans. The 20-year-old tried to kick clear but saw his attempt charged down by Bernabo, with the lock gathering the bouncing ball to score.
Shingler made no mistake with his fourth attempt on 32 minutes which meant there was only one point separating the sides at the half-time interval.
The Scarlets then moved up the gears early in the second period and their pressure was rewarded with two further penalties from the reliable boot of Shingler.
After another scrum penalty, Irish referee Gary Conway finally lost patience with the visitors with prop Dario Chistolini yellow-carded, but Shingler missed from the tee for the first time on the night.
Scarlets lock George Earle then followed into the sin-bin after pulling down an attacking line-out, but a great steal from Aaron Shingler saved the home side.
They made the most of the letoff to go up the other end and score their one and only try of the night, a huge shove putting the Zebre pack in all sorts of trouble before Hughes hit a great angle to score.
Shingler added the conversion and also a late penalty, while Hughes almost claimed a second try after a lovely chip through.
