Late Lloyd try breaks home hearts
Dragons suffered late derby day heartbreak yet again as a try from Evan Lloyd saw Cardiff snatch a narrow 24-22 victory in the BKT United Rugby Championship at Rodney Parade.
First half tries from Wales international duo Aaron Wainwright and Rio Dyer gave Dragons a ten-point lead at the break after a pulsating opening period on home soil.
Back came the visitors with wings Josh Adams and Gabe Hamer-Webb going over before home scrum half Rhodri Williams nudged Dragons back ahead.
But in a late blow it was Lloyd who dotted down in front of a sell-out crowd of 8,511 as Cardiff kept the long-winning run alive and left Dragons with an all too familiar feeling against their local rivals.
A rocking Rodney Parade welcomed the teams to field and the home side immediately looked to leave an impression as Joe Westwood and midfield partner Aneurin Owen smashed into contact.
The Men of Gwent were dominating territory in the opening exchanges and looked to go wide only for a hand from Adams to stop a flowing move.
A big scrum penalty saw captain and centurion Angus O’Brien go the corner and a slick lineout move saw Wainwright hit a sublime line and bulldoze past several tacklers to score.
The home side were playing with real intent and pace in the early stages with a penalty for offside allowing O’Brien to add to the lead.
Jared Rosser stepped inside Adams before O’Brien again showed his awareness to spot space and kick in behind for Dyer to touch down to a thunderous reception.
The penalty count was mounting against the visitors with another kick from O’Brien dragged wide left.
Cardiff finally secured some possession of their own after a 25-minute siege, but after working in field the ball was spilled by James Botham before O’Brien booted a huge clearance from the resulting scrum.
Stripped ball in midfield was cleverly kicked into space by Ben Thomas, but Hamer-Webb just failed to gather the loose ball under pressure.
The build-up of pressure, though, told as Cardiff peeled off a maul and the ball was touched down by Teddy Williams after consultation with the TMO.
A brilliant 50:22 turned Cardiff, just moments after a lineout steal from the impressive Woodman, set up one more attack in a breathless opening half.
A frantic start to the second half saw Woodman again prominent as he turned over ball on the floor.
However, Cardiff suddenly struck from nowhere as Rey Lee-Lo and Josh Adams cut great lines in midfield and it was the Welsh wing who stepped his way over to cut the lead to three points.
Dragons started to unload he bench with Elliot Dee and Shane Lewis-Hughes on with half an hour to go.
But it was Cardiff who hit the front for the first time as they worked the space and ball wide to Hamer-Webb to dive over.
Latu – on for his home debut – and Aki Seiuli came on after the hour mark as Dragons looked to stem the flow of points.
A knock on from Sheedy under no real pressure, after a spell of aerial ping pong, gave Dragons a way into the visiting 22.
A huge spell of sustained pressure saw the forwards twice drive up close before scrum half Williams dived over to a deafening roar.
The game was now swinging from end to end as back came Cardiff. And the decisive try arrived from Lloyd with four minutes to break home hearts once more.
Timeline:
15m Wainwright t O’Brien c 7-0
18m O’Brien p 10-0
20m Dyer t 15-0
33m Williams t 15-5
45m Adams t Sheedy c 15-12
57m Hamer-Webb t Sheedy c 15-19
69m Williams t O’Brien c 22-19
76m Lloyd t 22-24
Dragons RFC: Huw Anderson (Evans 65), Rio Dyer, Joe Westwood, Aneurin Owen, Jared Rosser, Angus O’Brien, Rhodri Williams; Rodrigo Martinez (Seiuli 60), Brodie Coghlan (Dee 50), Dmitri Arhip (Latu 60), Joe Davies (Thomas 77), Ryan Woodman, Dan Lydiate (Lewis-Hughes 50), Taine Basham, Aaron Wainwright
Replacements: Elliot Dee, Aki Seiuli, Paula Latu, Nick Thomas, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Che Hope, Will Reed, Cai Evans
Cardiff: Cam Winnett; Josh Adams, Rey Lee-Lo, Ben Thomas, Gabriel Hamer-Webb; Callum Sheedy, Aled Davies; Corey Domachowski, Dafydd Hughes, Kieron Assiratti, Josh McNally, Teddy Williams, James Botham, Alex Mann, Toby Faletau
Replacements: Evan Lloyd, Danny Southworth, Rhys Litterick, Seb Davies, Alun Lawrence, Ellis Bevan, Rory Jennings, Tom Bowen
Referee: Adam Jones (WRU, 41st game)
Attendance: 8,511
