Dragons 17 Bristol 11 - LEAVE YOUR MATCH COMMENTS HERE (From South Wales Argus)

Dragons 17 Bristol 11 - LEAVE YOUR MATCH COMMENTS HERE

9:32pm Friday 12th January 2007 in Sport By Robin Davey in New Zealand

NEWPORT Gwent Dragons took a giant step towards reaching the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup with a magnificent win against Guinness Premiership leaders Bristol at a rainswept Rodney Parade tonight.

The Dragons again had to come from behind to take the spoils with an heroic display in the difficult conditions. They led 10-6 at the interval, courtesy of an oppportunist try by wing Gareth Wyatt, then surrendered the lead, but regained it with a cracking try by centre Paul Emerick after the best move of the match.

Bristol had the better of the game territorially, but the Dragons defended with great spirit yet again, back row pair Jamie Ringer and Colin Charvis quite superb. It was only the third time Bristol have lost all season.

The Dragons now need to beat Bayonne in France next Friday night with a bonus point if they are to secure a home draw because Bristol are bankers to gain a winning bonus at home to Bucuresti.

Either way the Dragons ought to fly the flag for Wales in the last eight of a European competition, even if they are away. But if the Dragons and Bristol are level on points the Dragons will get the home draw because they edged the aggregate between the two teams.

Wales coach Gareth Jenkins was in the stand again, bringing with him assistant Nigel Davies and kicking coach Neil Jenkins as well this time.

There was a hefty Bristol presence in the crowd though the foul weather continued, rain sweeping in over the family stand as David Hill kicked off for Bristol with the elements at his back.

Bristol stole the first line-out off the Dragons ball, throwing in an unenviable task in the conditions. To'oala burst away, but the Dragons won a turnover ball and Alex Walker cleared.

The opening stages belonged to Bristol, but suddenly out of nothing the Dragons shot into the lead after eight minutes. The Dragons won line-out ball and Ceri Sweeney hoisted a high diagonal kick to the Bristol 22 which caught full back Craig Morgan in two minds and when he failed to gather Gareth Wyatt ran on to the bouncing ball and dashed over for a try which Sweney converted.

But from the restart the Dragons conceded a silly penalty when a player got offside after a teammate dropped the ball and Hill put the kick over.

The conditions became even worse, making the game a bit of a lottery but Wyatt produced another timely piece of work when he halted Lemi, who had latched on to a clever kick by Hill.

Ward-Smith broke off the back of a scrum menacingly and Josh Taumalolo, the fomer Ebbw Vale player, was away and over the line, but was recalled for a forward pass. Walker, after initially being caught at the back of a scrum, finally got the ball away.

Jamie Ringer was getting through his usual mountain of work as Bristol's territorial dominance continued, but the Dragons got some welcome relief when Morgan dropped the ball from a Walker kick.

And they finally secured a foothold in the Bristol half where they quickly gained a penalty after a high tackle by Taumalolo on Paul Emerick as the American was breaking through. Sweeney promptly kicked the goal.

But again they lost their advantage when the forwards pulled down a maul on their own 22 and Hill again landed the penalty to make it 10-6 to the Dragons at half-time.

Jenkins revealed during the interval that he will delay naming the Wales squad for the Six Nations until the week after next because of injury concerns to a number of players.

Academy hooker Richard Wilkes replaced the injured Kieran Crawford for the second half, only his second start.

But within two minutes Bristol went into the lead for the first time when, in an almost carbon copy of the Dragons try, Hill chipped to the corner where wing Lee Robinson gathered and turned inside and out to grab the try, despite shouts from the crowd for a previous forward pass.

The French referee was anything but a homer and Hill put the ball into the Dragons 22 after another penalty. And the referee called skipper Kevin Morgan over, then penalised Adam Black for pulling a Bistol player down in a line-out.

But the Dragons countered spectacularly with the best rugby of the match. Walker started a glorious move with a tap and go from his own line, Ringer, Charvis with an incredible take and Aled Brew took play into the Bristol half and Ashley Smith and Black almost made it to the line before the Dragons moved the ball left and Sweeney's pass gave Emerick just enough room.

That was all the flying USA Eagle neeeded as he streaked clear and over the line for a wonderful try which Sweeney converted.

Michael Owen and Gareth Baber went on to bolster the Dragons effort which was now taking its toll as a succession of players needed treatment.

But somehow they kept going, though Sweeney missed a difficult penalty shot from near the touchline with five minutes left after Gareth Llewellyn threw a punch at opposite number Ian Gough.

Dragons: K Morgan (captain), G Wyatt, P Emerick, A Smith, A Brew, C Sweeney, A Walker (G Baber 65), A Black, K Crawford (R Wilkes 40), L Harrison, I Gough, P Sidoli, A Hall (M Owen 61), C Charvis, J Ringer.

Scorers - tries: G Wyatt, P Emerick ; conversions: C Sweeney (2) ; penalties: Sweeney.

Bristol: C Morgan, L Robinson, S Cox, S Taumalolo (W Pozzebon 40), D Lemi, D Hill (J Strange (69-73), B O'Riordan, D Hilton, M Regan, D Crompton, R Winters (M Sambucetti 65), G Llewellyn, M Salter (captain), D Ward-Smith, A To'oala (C Short 78).

Scorers - tries: L Robinson conversions: ; penalties: D Hill (2) dropped goals: .

Referee: Mr R Poite (France).

Attendance: 6,834.