Scarlets (8) 16
Tries: Pugh, L Williams Pens: Priestland, S Jones

Edinburgh (3) 17
Tries: Laidlaw, Hamilton Cons: Paterson 2 Drop-goal: D Blair

Turnbull's dangerous tackle on de Luca

Edinburgh bounced back from defeat by Newport Gwent Dragons in their last Magners League outing with a hard-fought win against the Scarlets.

Rhys Priestland kicked a penalty and David Blair replied with a drop-goal before Richie Pugh scored the hosts' opening try for an 8-3 half-time lead.

But tries from Grieg Laidlaw and Craig Hamilton to Lee Williams' score proved crucial as Edinburgh went joint top.

Scarlet Josh Turnbull was sin-binned for a dangerous second-half tackle.

There was little to choose between the two sides in the opening quarter, although the Scarlets will have been disappointed not to capitalise from Priestland's kick-off.

The ball fell into open space behind the Edinburgh pack, but after centre Jonathan Davies snaffled possession he was hauled down and the threat evaporated.

However, the hosts were soon on the scoreboard as prop Iestyn Thomas' thumping tackle on Roddy Grant brought a penalty that fly-half Priestland converted.

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Edinburgh struck back as Priestland's opposite number David Blair dropped a goal from 35 metres.

And despite the best efforts of both teams, the drab conditions got the better of their attempts at some open rugby until a rare sustained attack brought the first try for Scarlets' flanker Pugh.

Scrum-half Martin Roberts was involved twice in a move that also featured centre Davies and left wing Andy Fenby, who made a forceful contribution before passing inside for Pugh to go over unhindered after 30 minutes.

Priestland failed to convert the angled shot and also missed a penalty from a similar spot three minutes later, leaving the hosts 8-3 ahead at the break.

Edinburgh piled on the pressure immediately after the restart.

After prop Geoff Cross was first denied a try by the television match official Nigel Whitehouse and on a second occasion by some superb defence, it fell to scrum-half Laidlaw to dart over.

Chris Paterson converted to give his side the lead for the first time and Scarlets boss Nigel Davies responded by sending Wales fly-half Stephen Jones back into the fray after 48 minutes on his return from the November Tests.

Jones's introduction prompted Priestland to switch to full-back as Dan Evans departed and the Scarlets were soon back in the lead.

Roberts broke from a ruck deep in Edinburgh's 22 and after having his hopes of making the line thwarted, the Scarlets kept the ball alive for wing Williams to go over in the corner.

Jones failed to convert and the Scarlets were soon on the receiving end of another twist of fortune.

First Blair glided past David Lyons's attempted tackle before sending Hamilton charging over, with Paterson converting, and the 56th-minute try was followed by the rashest and most dangerous act of the night.

Replacement Scarlets flanker Turnbull's first contribution, seconds after he came on, was to tackle Nick de Luca in the air and dump him on to the floor on his neck from from the restart.

Italian referee Carlo Damasco had no choice but to banish north Walian Turnbull, who could count himself fortunate not to have received a straight red.

The Scarlets - or more to the point centre Davies - then blew a great chance to reclaim the lead as he spurned a three-to-one overlap with 15 minutes remaining.

However, the hosts continued to pile forward as they sought a score and were rewarded after fly-half Stephen Jones's half-break put the visitors under pressure and they fell offside for the Wales star to kick the penalty.

That left one point between the teams but the visitors were in control as the clock wound down to deny the hosts.

Scarlets: Evans; L Williams, Lamont, J Davies, Fenby; Priestland, Roberts; I Thomas, Owen, Manu, Reed, Day, Easterby, Pugh, Lyons (capt).Replacements: S Jones for Evans (48), John for I Thomas (66), Cooper for Day (66), Turnbull for Easterby (57).
Not Used: Phillips, Knoyle, Maule.

Edinburgh: Paterson (capt); Robertson, Cairns, De Luca, Visser, D Blair; Laidlaw, Jacobsen, Kelly, G. Cross, S Turnbull, MacLeod, MacDonald, R Grant, Newlands. Replacements: Houston for Paterson (59), Thompson for Robertson (48), Ford for Kelly (59), Traynor for G Cross (53), C. Hamilton for S. Turnbull (40).
Not Used: Callam, Samson.

Att: 5,540

Ref: Carlo Damasco (Italy).

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