Edinburgh (0) 8
Try: Turnbull Pen: Godman
Dragons (9) 9
Pens: Arlidge 3

Alridge (right) put Dragons in control with three penalties

Dragons upset Edinburgh at Murrayfield to prevent the hosts returning to the top of the Magners League.

Edinburgh were pinned back in their own half for most of the first half, with three James Arlidge penalties signalling the Welsh side's dominance.

A Phil Godman penalty was all the hosts could manage from some intense pressure after the break.

However, an Andrew Turnbull try in the corner reduced the deficit after 67 minutes, but the conversion was missed.

The first half, played in a continuous downpour, was a demonstration of how simple rugby was needed on the night, the Dragons doing the basics well while Edinburgh tried to play a more expansive game.

Edinburgh had to survive an early onslaught and Jason Tovey and Wayne Evans in particular made Edinburgh pay as they kept them pinned in their own half for most of the first 40 minutes.

Fifteen minutes into the half, a big carry by Dragons number eight Grant Webb saw Edinburgh offend and Arlidge slotted a simple penalty.

Edinburgh continued to play a passing game which that only led to midfield disaster and, with the Dragons biding their time, another penalty chance came Alridge's way after 21 minutes and he put the Dragons 6-0 ahead.

Eight minutes later, an Evans box kick had John Houston in trouble, Alan Jacobsen was the man deemed to have offended and Arlidge banged over his third penalty.

Edinburgh's woes were compounded when centre Ben Cairns, who had looked the home side's most dangerous back, limped off just before the break.

The home side came out all guns blazing in the second half, but for 16 minutes a remarkable Dragons defensive effort kept them at bay.

Time after time, the Edinburgh scrum drove the visitors back and a series of penalties resulted, all of which Edinburgh opted to take as scrums.

Wing Tim Visser, number eight Ally Hogg and flanker Roddy Grant were all stopped inches short, but finally the penalty was accepted and Godman slotted the points.

The game reverted the to the first half pattern, with Dragons pinning Edinburgh back with some crafty kicking, but the game exploded into life with 14 minutes to go.

Visser got away from Aled Brew to set up the field position, the ball was shipped crossfield and Godman found Nick De Luca, whose cute offload put Andy Turnbull over for the try.

Godman missed the kick and, in a frantic final 12 minutes, both sides had chances to win the game and Godman missing a straightforward drop goal.

With two minutes to go, Dragons' Toby Falatau summed up the night's handling by spilling the ball with the line at his mercy.

Edinburgh winger Tim Visser:
"I think we did reasonably well playing the ball around in the terrible conditions.

"But we weren't clinical enough and the performance wasn't good enough which was reflected in the final score.

"We spent a lot of time in their half and we really wanted to score a try early in the second half, so it was frustrating to only come away with three points.

"It is the game you've got play when you're in that situation - take the points and then move on from there.

"We learned that we cannot give away so many penalties in the first half and still expect to win."

Dragons coach Paul Turner:
"Given the circumstances, with Wales playing next week and losing two key players on top of our injuries, it was an excellent result.

"I can't fault the effort and right until the end we sensed that the defence would hold out."

Edinburgh: S. Jones, Houston, Cairns, De Luca, Visser, Godman, Laidlaw, Jacobsen, Ford, G. Cross, S. Turnbull, MacLeod, Newlands, R. Grant, Hogg.
Replacements: A. Turnbull for Houston (41), Robertson for Cairns (32), M. Blair for Laidlaw (58), Traynor for Jacobsen (64), Kelly for Ford (58). Not Used: C. Hamilton, McKenzie.

Newport-Gwent D'gons: Tovey, Brew, Riley, Watkins, Fussell, Arlidge, W. Evans, Gustafson, S. Jones, Palmer, Sidoli, A. Jones, MacDonald, G. Thomas, Webb.
Replacements: Gomer-Davies for Riley (69), Goodfield for S. Jones (60), Bracken for Palmer (69), Falatau for G. Thomas (72). Not Used: Harris, M. Thomas, Lee.

Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version