Dragons 23 Gloucester 32

Newport Gwent Dragons suffered a demoralising home defeat when they were brushed aside by Gloucester in their final Heineken Cup group game yesterday.

The Dragons led 16-10 at half-time after initially trailing, but they were hit by three second- half tries in half an hour, the final one – a penalty try – giving Gloucester a place in the quarter-finals of the Amlin Challenge Cup.

Hero and man of the match was Gloucester openside flanker Akapusi Qera, who terrorised the Dragons and scored a hat trick of tries.

But it’s back to the drawing- board for the Dragons, who have now lost six games in a row and badly need to get back on track in time to resume their bid to finish in the top three Welsh teams in the Magners League.

Apart from a spell in the first half, they were outplayed by a far more hungry Gloucester team yesterday, and they even conceded a penalty try despite having prop signings Ali McKenzie and Ben Castle on board.

The Dragons scored probably the two best tries of the game, but that will be of little consolation.

The Dragons were without Wales lock Luke Charteris, who failed a fitness test on his injured shoulder, while Gloucester wing Lesley Vainikolo withdrew with a stomach upset, replaced by Tom Voyce. The Dragons began with much more purpose than against Glasgow in their last match, moving the ball well, and Richard Fussell almost fastened on to a neat chip from James Arlidge.

But it was Gloucester who drew first blood after seven minutes when French referee Christophe Berdos harshly penalised the Dragons for not rolling away and the kick was a formality for Nicky Robinson.

Arlidge put a dropped goal attempt wide after Hoani MacDonald won a line-out. But when the New Zealander won another at the tail the Dragons went through a number of phases, culminating in the visitors conceding a penalty which Arldige couldn’t miss from bang in front to level the scores.

But Gloucester hit back hard to score the game’s first try when centre Tim Molenaar broke through, Robinson carried on and flanker Akapusi Qera was up in support to nab the try, which Robinson converted.

The Dragons lost prop Hugh Gustafson with a head injury before Nicky Robinson threatened with a scything run, foiled by a timely intervention from James Harris.

That was the prelude to heavy home pressure, Fussell almost breaking through again after taking a short pass from Lewis Evans, but Gloucester lock Dave Attwood was yellow-carded for preventing release and Arlidge again kicked an easy penalty.

Gloucester full back Ollie Morgan limped off, then the Dragons scored a try of stunning simplicity.

MacDonald won a line-out majestically and in a clear set- piece move Arlidge served Rhodri Davies, taking the ball deep, and the centre shot through an inviting gap and rounded Voyce, who had moved to full back, with ease to cross at the posts for his second try in successive games which gave his side the lead for the first time.

Arlidge converted, and with the last kick of the half dropped a goal after Robinson had missed a comfortable penalty shot for Gloucester and Dragons flanker Dan Lydiate had put in a thunderous run.

Lewis Evans couldn’t resume for the Dragons after the interval after injuring a thigh during the first half, and he was replaced by Gavin Thomas.

But Gloucester soon showed they meant business. They almost scored when flanker Luke Narraway ran powerfully and replacement Charlie Sharples crossed in the corner, only to be recalled for a forward pass.

But the Dragons couldn’t clear their lines, and when Attwood won a line-out the pack drove over the line and Qera got his second touchdown.

Robinson missed the difficult conversion and with it the chance to regain the lead, then the Dragons replaced Gethin Robinson and try-scorer Davies, who had both taken bumps, with Ben Castle, making his competitive debut, and Ashley Smith in his first appearance for three months.

But Castle lasted only 11 minutes before he was yellow-carded for jersey pulling. And it cost the Dragons when McKenzie was penalised at a scrum, having already been warned, Robinson putting the kick over to regain the lead for Gloucester after an hour.

And Qera scored his third try when replacement hooker Olivier Azam charged away from a line-out and the tearaway Fijian was again up in support to get the touchdown, Robinson converting from wide out.

And with 11 minutes left Gloucester scored the all-important bonus-point try when the Dragons pack, now back up to full strength, was still shunted back over their own line and referee Berdos awarded a penalty try, converted by Robinson.

But at least the Dragons had the final word when Smith scored a glorious try in the last minute after replacement Martyn Thomas ran the ball from his own line, linked with Fussell, and Smith romped over. Tovey converted, but the damage had been done.

Newport Gwent Dragons: M Thomas, A Brew, R Davies (A Smith 46), T Riley, R Fussell, J Arlidge (J Tovey 60), W Evans (J Leadbeater 56), H Gustafson (A McKenzie 23), T Willis, captain S Jones 63), G Robinson (B Castle 44), H MacDonald (A Jones 63), R Sidoli, D Lydiate, L Evans (G Thomas 40), J Harris (G Robinson 57-66).

Scorers – tries: R Davies, A Smith; conversions: J Arlidge, J Tovey; penalties: Arlidge (2); dropped goal: Arlidge.

Gloucester: O Morgan (C Sharples 28), J Simpson-Daniel, T Molenaar, E Fuimaono-Sapolu, T Voyce, N Robinson (F Burns 78), R Lawson (D Lewis 64), A Dickinson (N Wood 56), S Lawson (O Azam 60), G Somerville (P Capdeville 71), D Attwood (A Eustace 71), A Brown, L Narraway, G Delve, captain (P Buxton 64), A Qera.

Scorers – tries: A Qera (3), penalty try; conversions: N Robinson (3); penalties: Robinson (2).

Referee: Christophe Berdos (France).

Attendance: 5,653.