NEWPORT Gwent Dragons returned to winning ways at Rodney Parade by professionally dispatching Treviso 26-8 in the Guinness PRO12.

The Dragons recovered from their double festive derby disappointment by beating the Italians in solid if unspectacular fashion in tricky conditions thanks to tries by Sarel Pretorius and Lewis Evans.

They avoided a banana skin against Treviso to record a victory that puts them level with last season's (admittedly paltry) tally of four PRO12 wins and lifts them back above Edinburgh to ninth in the 'mini league' at the wrong end of the table.

And after their five-game winning streak in Newport was brought to an end by the Ospreys, Kingsley Jones' side have an opportunity to enjoy another run on home soil with Enisei and Newcastle to come this month.

It was a timely success for while one victory doesn't paper over historic cracks, it will have disappointed the warriors, both keyboard and former Celtic, waiting to stick the boot in.

After a week where some have been talking about moving the Dragons north, the detractors will have to hold fire for another week (or more likely two since it's the Russians next up) to see if a defeat can reinforce their point.

After a sluggish opening the Dragons took control against resolute guests with strong performances up front from Wales lock Cory Hill, tighthead Brok Harris and hooker Elliot Dee while Pretorius generally steered things nicely.

They weren't the only ones to shine – the Rodney Parade ground staff had played a blinder with the pitch sandy but firm under foot despite a day of drizzle.

The surface won't win any beauty contests but there was no need for a pitch inspection as, unlike the Ospreys, the Italians were keen to play rather than arrange a later return to Wales.

South Wales Argus:

The Dragons made a smart start and were rewarded with an Angus O'Brien penalty after five minutes when the ball was slapped out of scrum-half Sarel Pretorius' hands close to the posts.

However, they promptly shot themselves in the foot by conceding a shambolic try with an awful O'Brien up and under from inside his own half poorly chased, then bouncing into the grateful hands of ex-Ospreys scrum-half Tito Tebaldi, who went over down the right for a 5-3 lead.

The sluggishness continued, leading to frustration for a sparse crowd, with the Dragons only having that early penalty to show for four trips to the Italians' 22 in the opening quarter.

Knock-ons and daft errors were preventing them from building up a head of steam to apply scoreboard pressure on Treviso, in fact it was the visitors that struck next through the right boot of Italy fly-half Tommaso Allan after captain Lewis Evans went off his feet.

At 8-3 it was imperative that the Dragons struck next and they did just that with a score that will annoy Treviso.

The Italians turned over a fifth visit to their 22 only for Luke McLean to fail to find touch and Angus O'Brien to run it back at them for the Dragons to hammer away before Pretorius sniped under the sticks after a quick pick-up.

It was a fine finish by the South African with the conversion making it 10-8 to the hosts, who needed to keep the put the hammer down.

Instead they were on the back foot with Pretorius going from hero to villain after being sin-binned for slapping the ball down deliberately as Treviso attempted to spread play from a scrum.

The Italians went to the corner before flanker Robert Barbieri missed an 'open goal' when failing to gather a grubber through.

The Dragons defended resolutely, with Wales lock Cory Hill to the fore, and made light of their numerical disadvantage to add another three points with a booming O'Brien penalty from the final play of the half.

The 13-8 lead was slender but welcome in increasingly treacherous weather and the Dragons stretched further away when a patient attack ended with O'Brien wisely adding a drop goal.

The hosts were playing with their brains as well as brawn against the hefty Italian pack and O'Brien added another three from the tee, Treviso getting a team warning from Scottish ref Mike Adamson, to make it 19-8 approaching the hour.

It was now a case of not doing anything daft to risk the victory rather than entertaining thoughts of an unlikely four-try bonus with 'coffin corner' the target for the Dragons kickers.

However, the win was secured in the 68th minute by crossing the line rather than with the boot when captain Evans was credited with the try from a driving lineout.

Replacement fly-half Dorian Jones converted for a commanding 26-8 lead and the hosts finished the job with minimal fuss.

Dragons: C Meyer, T Prydie, T Morgan, A Warren, P Howard (J Dixon 43), A O'Brien (D Jones 62), S Pretorius, P Price (S Hobbs 47), E Dee (R Buckley 62), B Harris (L Fairbrother 62), N Crosswell (R Landman 47), C Hill, L Evans (captain), O Griffiths (N Cudd 59), E Jackson.

Scorers: tries – S Pretorius, L Evans; conversions – A O'Brien, D Jones; penalties – A O'Brien (3); drop goals – A O'Brien

Treviso: L McLean, A Pratichetti, T Benvenuti, A Sgarbi (captain), L Sperandio, T Allan (I McKinley 59), T Tebaldi (G Brozini 44), A De Marchi (F Zani 44), D Giazzon (O Gega 44), M Zanusso (T Pasquali 50), M Fuser (F Paulo 40), D Budd, R Barbieri (M Lazzaroni 59), B Steyn (T Iannone 73), M Barbini.

Scorers: try – T Tebaldi; penalty – T Allan

Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)

Attendance: 3,904

Argus star man: Cory Hill