YET another Guinness PRO14 away defeat for the Dragons but they showed enough glimpses in Edinburgh to believe that the hoodoo will soon end.

Bernard Jackman's side were downed 35-18 at Myreside to suffer a 25th successive loss on the road, a nightmare streak that goes back to Treviso in March, 2015.

Yet despite a rather horrid looking scoreboard there were signs that the management team's regime is starting to take shape.

Jackman & Co have pleaded for patience while pledge that improvements will come week to week.

That was certainly the case with a lively performance in attack in which game-breakers Hallam Amos and Ashton Hewitt were more involved than they were against Leinster on opening weekend.

The Dragons looked lively with ball in hand but were hindered by an early injury to influential centre Sam Beard that necessitated a move to midfield for Gavin Henson, who had been pulling the strings nicely.

They posed Edinburgh problems but need to sharpen their cutting edge while also becoming tougher to score against; at the moment things are a tad too easy in their 22.

However, the Dragons did stay in the fight to be in contention as the game entered the final quarter; no mean effort given that an already youthful side featured debutant scrum-half Owain Leonard for 70 minutes and his fellow 19-year-old Max Williams in the back row for the second half.

The region's endeavour meant they left Myreside with a mixture of disappointment and optimism as opposed to the complete despair of April.

On that occasion they let a 20-3 lead with 70 minutes go and on arrival at the ground the scoreboard was still showing 24-20 from that miserable night, the last time that Edinburgh had taken to the field at Myreside.

The Dragons showed they had no demons with a bright start, wingers Amos and Hewitt enjoying early forays into Edinburgh territory.

The visitors wanted to play with width and tempo, avoiding an arm wrestle against a strong Edinburgh tight five.

An early chance went begging when, after the forwards had worked to within a yard with hard carrying, the ball was spread wide inaccurately where Amos was bundled into touch.

The Wales speedster was in the thick of the action and his break and combination with fellow Wales international Tyler Morgan led to a penalty that Henson knocked over for a well-deserved 3-0 lead.

The fly-half soon doubled the buffer with a sweetly-struck drop goal from slow ball, showing the sort of composure he has been signed for.

The sloppy Scots were making errors and the Dragons had to make them pay.

Jackman had, however, been forced into a pair of early changes with Leonard, an unused replacement at Myreside last season, on for his debut and Henson shifting to midfield after Beard went off clutching his shoulder.

Edinburgh had been second best but gradually worked their way into the game and were level after 26 minutes through Duncan Weir, the fly-half punishing an offside then a scrum offence.

And they were soon in front with a searing break by centre Chris Dean past opposite number Morgan before a lovely offload put full-back Blair Kinghorn under the sticks.

Weir converted for 13-6 and the Dragons were wobbling against a home side suddenly purring with livewire Scotland flanker Hamish Watson a growing influence.

However, a harsh yellow card for the hosts' fly-half after he was said to have rucked recklessly – sure to have prompted a sizeable donation to the swear jar by boss Richard Cockerill – offered some respite.

The Dragons ended on the front foot with their best attack of the game, piling the pressure on after a break by Hewitt into the 22.

Sadly they couldn't force their way over for a leveller but had the consolation of a penalty that Henson knocked over to cut the gap to 13-9 at half-time.

The Dragons needed a fast start to the second half but after 47 minutes they were down 20-9 after that man Kinghorn caused yet more problems, cutting a delightful line before putting scrum-half Sam Hidalgo-Clyne under the posts.

Weir converted before opposite number Henson banged over a penalty and was then preparing to attempt a conversion.

Sadly he never got the chance – a well-crafted score by number eight Harri Keddie was chalked off after Amos' right foot brushed against the touchline as he offloaded following a gather of O'Brien's super cross-kick.

The Dragons didn't let their heads drop and it was 20-18 with 15 minutes left thanks to a brace by the excellent Henson, who was showing real leadership as well as perfect kicking.

But that hope was soon extinguished when Weir knocked over a penalty and then a well-worked attack ended with Junior Rasolea powering over down the left wing.

The conversion was wide but Edinburgh were will in command at 28-18 with 10 minutes left.

The Dragons had to mirror their hosts from last season but instead Robbie Fruean cut a lovely line in the 22 to dash over for the Edinburgh bonus point.

Edinburgh: B Kinghorn (J Tovey 79), D Hoyland, C Dean (J Rasolea 40), R Fruean, J Harries, D Weir, S Hidalgo-Clyne (N Fowles 53), M Rizzo (D Marfo 65), S McInally (R Ford 56), WP Nel (S Berghan 54), B Toolis, G Gilchrist (F McKenzie 65), J Ritchie, H Watson (C Du Preez 54), M Bradbury (captain).

Scorers: tries – B Kinghorn, S Hidalgo-Clyne, J Rasolea, R Fruean; conversions – D Weir (3); penalties – D Weir (4)

Yellow card: D Weir

Dragons: Z Kirchner, A Hewitt, T Morgan (A Hughes 69), S Beard (A O'Brien 16), H Amos, G Henson, C Davies (O Leonard 10), B Harris (P Price 69), E Dee (R Buckley 69), L Brown (L Fairbrother 69), R Landman (M Screech 66), C Hill (captain), J Thomas (M Williams 40), J Benjamin, H Keddie.

Scorers: penalties – G Henson (6)

Referee: Stuart Berry (South Africa)

Argus star man: Ashton Hewitt

Attendance: 3,324