BBC SPORT | RUGBY UNION | Neath hold off Edinburgh

Edinburgh 20-32 Neath

Neath maintained their perfect start to the Celtic League campaign with a solid rather than spectacular victory over Edinburgh at Myreside.

The Welshmen went ahead with a penalty by new stand-off Lee Jarvis.

They stepped up the pace when full-back Shaun Connor created the first touchdown with an electrifying run to make time and space for Gareth Morris to skid through and give Jarvis an easy conversion.

Another try seemed a certainty and it came when centre James Storey finished off a slick, short-passing move that also featured Tevita Tiueti.

Edinburgh surged back into the contest in the dying seconds of the half.

Neath's Gareth Llewellyn is held up
Duncan Hodge got them up and running with a close-range penalty.

Then Conan Sharman cashed in on a slip by Tiueti straight from the restart by following up his own kicks upfield.

The conversion was from a wide angle, but Hodge sent it over to narrow the margin to just five points.

Neath shook off the setbacks to regain control and Connor was again the man who mattered when he cruised to the line from 30 metres out.

The Gunners were sparked back into life, however, and Cameron Murray scuttled in for a brilliant try.

Hodge claimed the extra points to set up a dramatic finale, with Jarvis dropping a goal to ease the Neath jitters.

Sub Gordon Ross replied with a penalty, but Tiueti ended Edinburgh's challenge with his team's fourth try, goaled by Connor.

Edinburgh: Paterson, Murray, Di Rollo, Howarth, Sharman, Hodge, Fairley, Jacobsen, Scott, Smith, Jolly, Metcalfe, Mackinnon, Leslie, S. Taylor.

Replacements: Robertson, Whittingham, A. Dall, G. Dall, Ross, Lee, Blair.

Neath: Connor, Tiueti, Bateman, Storey, Morris, Jarvis, Horgan, D. Jones, B. Williams, Millward, Martin, Llewellyn, Francis, Sinkinson, Mocelutu.

Replacements: A. Moore, Bonner-Evans, P. Jones, S. Jones, Slade, Howells, K. James.

Referee: D Courtney (Ireland).


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