Dragons 25 Scarlets 27

The Dragons romped into a 25-6 interval lead, but they threw it away as the Scarlets turned the tables on them.

They gradually whittled the big lead away until Stephen Jones landed an injury penalty to give the Scarlets a narrow victory, though the Dragons scored three tries to two.

The Welsh coaching team was out in force, with Warren Gatland, Rob Howley, Robin McBryde and Neil Jenkins all sat in the stand.

The Dragons started as though they meant business, moving the ball well and James Arlidge testing Scarlets full back Morgan Stoddart with a neat kick. He was nailed by three players only for Tal Selley to knock on.

But they went ahead after six minutes when Arlidge kicked a well judged penalty from wide out, awarded for offside.

And he doubled it three minutes later, a much easier effort after the Scarlets piled over the top, but he was wide with a third effort from a long way out.

The Dragons were playing with an easy confidence and they scored a cracking try after 16 minutes.

Prop Adam Black stood off, took the ball on the burs t to set up a ruck and quick recycling saw Arlidge transfer to Marc Stcherbina who made ground rapidly and co-centre Rory Sidey unselfishly put Richard Fussell over in the corner when he might have made it himself.

The Scarlets reduced the deficit after 20 minutes when Stephen Jones landed a 40 yard penalty after a line-out offence. Sweeping rain arrived again before yet another Dragons full back needed teatment, this time Phil Dollman, but another sweeping attack almost resulted in another try for Fussell.

But score again they did. Scarlets lock Lou Reed palmed the ball back at a line-out and Dragons captain Tom Willis nipped in to grab the touchdown after the referee referred it to the TMO. Arlidge converted.

Dollman had to leave the field, becoming the Dragons’ fourth full back casualty, replaced by Shaun Connor, but Jones again narrowed the gap with his second penalty.

The Dragons stuck to their guns and scored their third try, a near carbon copy of the second when the Scarlets failed to clear their line øs and Lewis Evans grabbed the ball and made it to the line, the TMO again ruling a try.

Arlidge again converted to put the Dragons into an undreamt of 25-6 lead at the interval.

Evans, injured scoring the try, was replaced by Jamie Ringer for the second half and almost before the Dragons had time to settle they found their lead whittled down as Jones kicked two penalties in quick succession.

The Dragons had gone off the boil and they were reduced to 14 men when Selley was yellow carded for preventing release.

And it got worse when the Scarlets scored their first try, replacement scrum half Martin Roberts darting over, again the TMO ruling a try after Roberts hit the corner flag, allowed under the new rules.

It became really tight when the Dragons got turned over in midfield and Stoddart shot away before putting replacement Nathan Brew over for a try against his former team. Jones converted to make the difference just one point.

The Scarlets had the momentum and the final ten minutes were nerve wracking. But Brew knocked on when it seemed easier to score and Jones fluffed a dropped goal, then in the 84th minute Jones landed a penalty to give his side victory.

Newport Gwent Dragons: P Dollman (S Connor 33), T Selley, R Sidey, M Stcherbina, R Fussell, J Arlidge, W Evans (R Lewis 68), A Black (H Gustafson 58), T Willis (captain), R Thomas (L Harrison 73), A Jones (G Webb 70), L Charteris, J Bearman, L Evans (J Ringer 40), R Parks. Scorers -- tries: R Fussell, T Willis, L Evans ; conversions: J Arlidge (2) penalties: Arlidge (2)

Llanelli Scarlets: M Stoddart, D Daniel (N Brew 51), R Higgitt, G Evans, D James, S Jones (captain), S Martens (M Roberts 52), I Thomas, M Rees, K Meeuws (D Manu 67), L Reed (S MacLeod 52), V Cooper, D Jones (S Easterby 52), D Lyons, G Thomas. Scorers -- tries: M Roberts, N Brew; conversions: S Jones; penalties: Jones (4)

Referee: James Jones (WRU). Attendance: 5,057.