Morgan Lloyd scored his first club try but Dragons suffered more capital punishment at the hands of Cardiff as they slipped to a 31-23 defeat in the BKT United Rugby Championship.
The Men of Gwent returned to league action at Cardiff Arms Park against their local rivals eager to snap an eighteen-match losing streak in the URC.
But it was to be more derby day pain for Dragons as three tries in a crucial ten-minute spell either side of the break saw the hosts take control.
Dragons, without an away win in the Championship since April 2022, started the better and went clear courtesy of the boot of captain Angus O’Brien.
But tries from Alex Mann and Harri Millard before the break and another soon after from Callum Sheedy broke resilience. Rey Lee-Lo added a bonus fourth.
Lloyd grabbed his first score as Dragons looked to salvage something late on and Aki Seiuli edged them closer, but it was the home side who took the spoils.
Filo Tiatia - in his first match as Interim Head Coach - made six changes to the side with Lloyd Evans, Rhodri Williams, Jared Rosser, Rodrigo Martinez, George Nott, and Taine Basham called-up.
An early penalty, after Cardiff infringed at the breakdown, saw new co-captain O’Brien take the kicking duties but push a kick wide of the posts.
Basham picked up at the breakdown and tore down the middle, but the offloads only found Cardiff hands who hacked ahead with Cam Winnett only denied by O’Brien as he raced back.
A penalty against the Men of Gwent gave Callum Sheedy the chance to open the scoring and he made no mistake. But back came O’Brien with a kick of his own four minutes late to level the scores.
Home full back Winnett produced some magic from deep as he chipped ahead but just failed to take his kick as the field started to open up.
A sliced kick out on the full from Josh Adams, after stolen lineout ball, gave Dragons attacking ball, as Joe Westwood limped off to be replaced by Harry Wilson. O’Brien then missed a second kickable penalty of the afternoon as his latest effort flew wide left.
Aneurin Owen was the latest to blow a hole with a direct line, but Dragons spilled ball as they looked to go through the phases and build pressure.
Dragons were controlling territory and possession and turned the screw with Rosser, Owen, Basham, and Wainwright to the fore as they rattled up close before O’Brien nudged over a kick for a 6-3 lead.
The penalties were pling up against the home side with O’Brien slotting his third of the game.
Cardiff had a penalty of their own, but they opted to go to the corner and were rewarded when Alex Mann was shunted over. Sheedy added the extras for a 10-9 lead.
Referee Ben Whitehouse lost patience with the home side as penalties continued to rise with Josh McNally yellow carded.
The play was flying from end to end as Harri Millard danced inside and a kick in behind had Adams interested.
Cardiff again passed up a kickable penalty to twice go to the corner and it paid off as Brodie Coghlan was yellow carded as he failed to get back onside.
And the home side struck deep into injury time as Millard went over. Sheedy’s extras made it 17-9 at the break.
Cardiff extended the lead three minutes after the break when Dragons were exposed in midfield and numbers allowed Sheedy to score.
And the bonus try was wrapped up with half an hour to go when Ray Lee-Lo was sent over after a slick tap and go move close to the visitors’ line.
Huw Anderson and Morgan Lloyd were introduced as Dragons turned to youth to find a way back into the game.
And scrum half Lloyd struck a blow when he threw a dummy and raced over under the posts for his first club try to cut the lead.
Lloyd nearly repeated the feat as he scampered past men and rattled into the 22. But Dragons were not to be denied as a powerful run by Basham was finished by Seiuli.
Timeline:
08m Sheedy p 3-0
12m O’Brien p 3-3
24m O’Brien p 3-6
29m O’Brien p 3-9
32m Mann t Sheedy c 10-9
40m Millard t Sheedy c 17-9
43m Sheedy t Sheedy c 24-9
50m Lee-Lo t Sheedy c 31-9
64m Lloyd t O’Brien c 31-16
72m Seiuli t O’Brien c 31-23
Cardiff: Cam Winnett; Josh Adams, Rey Lee-Lo, Ben Thomas, Harri Millard; Callum Sheedy, Aled Davies; Ed Byrne, Daf Hughes, Keiron Assiratti, Josh McNally, Teddy Williams, Ben Donnell, Thomas Young, Alun Lawrence
Replacements: Evan Lloyd, Corey Domachowski, Rhys Litterick, Seb Davies, Alex Mann, Ellis Bevan, Rory Jennings, Gabriel Hamer-Webb
Dragons RFC: Angus O’Brien, Rio Dyer (Anderson 50-62), Joe Westwood (Wilson 17), Aneurin Owen, Jared Rosser, Lloyd Evans, Rhodri Williams (Lloyd 54); Rodrigo Martinez (Seiuli 55), Brodie Coghlan (Benjamin 62), Chris Coleman (Arhip 55), Matthew Screech, George Nott (Davies 62), Shane Lewis-Hughes (Woodman 52), Taine Basham, Aaron Wainwright (Benjamin 40-50)
Replacements: James Benjamin, Aki Seiuli, Dmitri Arhip, Joe Davies, Ryan Woodman, Morgan Lloyd, Harry Wilson, Huw Anderson
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 103rd game)
Attendance: 9,638
