Derby delight as Dragons claim victory
Bradley Roberts and Rio Dyer scored as Dragons ended the long wait for home success as they defeated 14-man Ospreys 20-5 in the BKT United Rugby Championship at Rodney Parade.
The Men of Gwent had not won on home soil since October 2022 – but they ended that unwanted record on a dramatic night in Newport.
Mat Protheroe had opened the scoring for Ospreys but the wing was then sent off after a high shot on home fly half Will Reed.
Dragons hit the front with Roberts powering over before the break.
Ospreys – who had not won their travels since January - were down to 13 men in the second half when Luke Morgan was yellow carded and Dyer duly raced over to secure the win.
Lock Matthew Screech led the team out on his 150th appearance in the league while six changes saw a first start for Dragons Academy graduate Ewan Rosser.
Ospreys strung the phases together in the opening two minutes, but a well drilled home defence held firm to win a penalty to terrace cheers.
But immediately after all the good work an error on five minutes saw Owen Watkin burst into contact and free up space for Jack Walsh to kick in behind and Protheroe touch down out wide.
Cai Evans, against his former club, burst from deep to spark a first real home attack before the full back had to turn on his heels and race back to stop a 50:22 from the visitors.
Dragons were then dealt an early injury blow with a hobbling Ben Carter replaced by George Nott.
It was end to end action as Rio Dyer tore down the right chasing a kick in behind from Evans before Aneurin Owen chased a deflected kick and Lonsdale and Nott combined to win a five-metre scrum.
But, after building pressure, the home side were penalised for rolling and Ospreys cleared.
Dyer broke a tackle in midfield and freed his arms to pop a pass to Evans in support and then Tomkinson rolled down the blindside and chased a grubber as the home side grew into the game.
A scrum penalty gave Evans the chance to get the home side on the scoreboard and he duly drilled the kick over.
An ugly collision as Protheroe and Reed clashed as the home fly half collected a high ball saw the wing red carded on 28 minutes.
Dragons seemed fired up by the decision and immediately rattled up close before taking the lead courtesy of a second penalty from Evans.
Huge cheers greeted another home penalty at scrum time before a superb training ground lineout move saw Griffiths find Roberts on the reverse pass and he bulldozed past tacklers to touch down.
An explosive start to the second half saw Tomkinson dance around his man and kick in behind before was pulled back for a deliberate knock on. But Evans dragged a three pointer from wide.
Rhodri Williams cut a superb line to break from deep and his kick ahead saw Dyer crunch Max Nagy into the tramlines.
Dragons looked to set up the driving maul, but the never came back and Ospreys sacked the play to stop the opportunity.
A brilliant touch finder from Evans pushed Ospreys back into their own 22, but a bent throw at the lineout again halted any growing momentum.
Dragons, with the extra man, were dominating territory but were finding it hard to break down a defiant visiting defence who were giving everything to the cause.
A tip tackle from Luke Morgan on Dyer saw the visiting wing sent to the sin bin and Ospreys down to 13 men for ten minutes.
Dyer produced a scintillating break to breeze past men and feed Owen, but his pass wide to Rosser failed to find hands and the glaring chance was gone.
The pressure was building and finally the dam burst with Dyer finding space out wide to receive the ball from Evans and Rosser and tear over to a thunderous ovation.
Timeline:
05m Protheroe t 0-5
25m Evans p 3-5
31m Evans p 6-5
38m Roberts t Evans c 13-5
66m Dyer t Evans c 20-5
Dragons RFC: Cai Evans, Rio Dyer, Sio Tomkinson (Hughes 65), Aneurin Owen, Ewan Rosser (Hewitt 73), Will Reed, Rhodri Williams (Blacker 65); Rhodri Jones (Seiuli 61), Bradley Roberts (Dee 62), Lloyd Fairbrother (Coleman 61), Matthew Screech, Ben Carter (Nott 13), Sean Lonsdale, Ollie Griffiths, Aaron Wainwright
Replacements: Elliot Dee, Aki Seiuli, Chris Coleman, George Nott, Ryan Woodman, Dane Blacker, Steff Hughes, Ashton Hewitt
Ospreys: Max Nagy, Luke Morgan, George North, Owen Watkin, Mat Protheroe, Jack Walsh Reuben Morgan-Williams; Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake, Tom Botha, Rhys Davies, Adam Beard, James Ratti, Justin Tipuric, Morgan Morris
Replacements: Sam Parry, Gareth Thomas, Ben Warren, James Fender, Jac Morgan, Luke Davies, Daniel Kasende, Luke Scully
Referee: Ben Whitehouse
Attendance: 6,277
