NEWPORT Gwent Dragons’ Andrew Coombs hailed Scott Williams as the “best centre in Wales” as the Scarlets midfield maestro broke the Gwent region’s hearts with a stunning comeback performance.

Lock Coombs said the Wales star, who was making his return after a seven-month lay-off with a knee injury, was instrumental in the West Walians’ 34-20 bonus point triumph over the Dragons which kept their Guinness PRO12 play-off hopes alive.

Despite another spirited display, after their heroics in Montpellier saw them lose just 22-12 in the semi-final of the European Challenge Cup against the crack Top 14 side, this was the Newport-based side’s ninth straight league defeat.

Man of the match Williams, 25, who has won 34 caps, scored the Scarlets’ opening try after 10 minutes and had a big hand to play in two others as they eventually crossed for four touchdowns against two by the Dragons.

His old Wales teammate Coombs, who is still sidelined by a lengthy knee injury of his own, said: “Scott came back with a bang, didn’t he? It was a superb performance. He’s the best centre in Wales for me.

“He’s got everything. He’s fast, he’s strong and he can create problems for the defence and he showed that time after time against us and he keeps doing it for Wales.”

The Dragons trailed 27-13 going into the closing stages of Saturday’s Judgement Day encounter at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium but were given a lifeline 10 minutes from time when a cracking score was created for wing Adam Hughes by full-back Carl Meyer.

Coombs paid tribute to the pair: “It was an excellent try by the Dragons to get back into it.

“Carl’s had a superb season and he showed great confidence to go on the outside and he gave a great pass to Adam who can finish anything off.

“Adam was our best player a couple of seasons ago. He’s come back to us (after a spell at Bristol and Exeter), scored a couple of tries and he puts us on the front foot all the time.

“If he gets the space, he can really take opponents on.”

As it was, Hughes’ score was in vain after Scarlets replacement scrum-half Gareth Davies made the game safe for his side with a converted try that took them 14 points ahead with five minutes to go.

The Dragons lost dynamic openside flanker Nic Cudd to a head injury early on and they struggled at times at the breakdown where Scarlets No 7 James Davies had a blinder.

Dragons head coach Kingsley Jones admitted: “We found the breakdown difficult and we gave the ball away too easily. A turnover led to a try and it would have been important to score first in the second half.”