Connacht v Dragons

Apologies if on here already but not seen a thread on the game, if there is one Mods please feel free to delete.

Galway is nevber easy place to go but I was hoping for more than a losing BP from this, we have been in some good form and as report says Connacht were on an 8 game losing streak in the League.

We are still 3rd place Region which is good for us and only a point of the play offs which would be great achievement if we made then this season really need a derby win against the Blues just to keep that bit of breathing space between us.

Connacht ended a run of eight straight Pro12 defeats as a last-minute drop goal by Dan Parks earned the Irish side victory over the Dragons in Galway.

Pat Lam's side's first Pro12 win since the opening weekend of the season moves them off the bottom of the table.

Dan Evans's early try helped the Dragons lead 8-3 at half-time.

Jason Tovey's second penalty kept the Dragons 11-6 ahead but Fionn Carr's 75th-minute try and Parks's drop goal sealed Connacht's dramatic win.

Connacht had not tasted victory in the Pro12 since their 25-16 home victory over Zebre on 7 September.

However, Connacht went into Saturday's clash with their morale boosted by their shock Heineken Cup win in Toulouse two weeks ago.

Lam's side lost their return clash against the French giants last weekend but the Irish province had been lifted by their European endeavours over the last fortnight - as was shown by Saturday's display.

Despite going 8-0 down to the Dragons inside 16 minutes, Connacht - helped by a dominant scrum and line-out - fought their way to a gutsy three-point win.

An early ankle injury suffered by Dave McSharry forced a reshuffle of the Connacht backline with Carr introduced and Robbie Henshaw and Gavin Duffy making positional switches.

Henshaw's missed tackle allowed Ross Wardle to break through midfield in the eighth minute and tee up full-back Evans for his five-pointer.

Tovey missed the conversion but was back on target with a 16th minute penalty as the Welsh region kept pressing with a strong wind at their backs.

A scrum penalty allowed Parks to open Connacht's account in the as the strength of the wind dropped noticeably.

After the restart, Parks cut the Dragons lead to two points but Tovey quickly replied to put five between the teams again.

Dragons prop Owen Evans was sin-binned for the foot trip at the hour mark but Parks missed the resulting penalty as Connacht failed to make their man advantage over the next 10 minutes.

Toby Faletau's composure on the ball looked set to frustrate Connacht but a deft crosskick by Parks five minute from time set up unmarked Carr to score in the corner.

Former Scotland international Parks missed the tough conversion but the fly-half landed his winning drop goal with just over a minute left.

Hopefully the first sign that beating Toulouse in France can turn Connacht's Pro 12 campaign around.

Artful_Dodger wrote:Hopefully the first sign that beating Toulouse in France can turn Connacht's Pro 12 campaign around.

It should certainly do their confidence a world of good.