HEAD coach Kingsley Jones lamented another error-strewn performance after Newport Gwent Dragons suffered a miserable derby defeat to the Scarlets.

The hosts took the spoils 26-13 in an insipid Guinness Pro12 encounter in Llanelli and the Dragons left with what they deserved – nothing.

Centre Gareth Owen and wing Kristian Phillips crossed for the Scarlets and the scoreline would have been even uglier had the hosts been more clinical.

The Rodney Parade region headed into the season with optimism about a brighter campaign but instead look set to be tussling with the usual suspects at the bottom of the table once again.

However, it is the manner of their performances rather than the results that is most alarming with the Dragons struggling to get anything going in attack and spending most of their time camped inside their own territory.

"Nobody is happy at all and there is a lot of disappointment in the changing room," said Jones.

"It was a poor, low-level game and neither side got anything going. Both teams made lots of errors and conceded lots of penalties.

"Our defence must be good because we spent a lot of time without the ball, but their tries came from our errors.

"Controlling the ball is a massive factor, we couldn't get a foothold in the game and didn't get in the right areas. We have a problem with our exit strategy and we just can't get out of our 22."

It leaves the Dragons in eighth in the Pro12 with a solitary win against hapless Treviso to their name.

On Saturday they travel to fellow strugglers Edinburgh in what is now a crucial game for two teams that are low on confidence.

"The forwards and the scrum went well and we have to try and find the positives because we have to kick on and go for Edinburgh away," said Jones.

"We've got to believe that we can go there and get the win, they are in the same boat as us and it will be tough, but we are up for the challenge."

The Dragons injury problems have grown in midfield.

They were hoping to extend the loan of Ospreys centre Ben John but he suffered a hamstring twinge and has joined fellow midfielders Pat Leach, Jack Dixon, Tyler Morgan and Ross Wardle on the sidelines.

It leaves them down to their last specialist in Ashley Smith with academy prospect Barney Nightingale, 17, backing him up.

Captain Lee Byrne was a late withdrawal with a bad back, hooker Rhys Thomas came off in the first half after a bump to the head and loosehead Boris Stankovich suffered a dead leg.