NEWPORT Gwent Dragons produced one Christmas cracker when they rocked Welsh glamour boys the Ospreys at Rodney Parade on Friday night - now they need another against their biggest rivals Cardiff Blues at home on Boxing Day.

The Dragons not only ended their six-match losing run with a victory, but they achieved a bonus point as well to send the Ospreys packing and lift themselves above the Blues in the Magners League table.

Though some tried to deflect the significance of the victory by concentrating on the return of Welsh stars Gavin Henson and Mike Phillips, it was lost on the Dragons team and their fans who hailed the triumph and the return of the side on to the pitch after it was all over.

Henson did score two tries on his return to action after six weeks out with Achilles' tendon trouble, though playing out of position at full back, and Phillips showed no ill effects from successive knee operations, keeping him out since March, in a 30-minute second half appearance.

But it was players of the calibre of Luke Charteris, Joe Bearman and Hoani MacDonald in a dominant pack who stole the show as the Dragons racked up four tries with just Henson's double in reply.

"I'm delighted, a 5-1 win against the Ospreys is always good. We did enough to win and I thought we deserved it," said coach Paul Turner.

"I'm pleased for the players, we kept getting shaded and we said it would be nice to go out and win a game comfortably. It was a good Christmas present for the effort the boys have put in.

"It's another building block after we'd put in some good performances without getting the results. The Ospreys probably came here to win, but that's part of the problem often, they've got a fine squad but they find it difficult coming here. They don't often concede a bonus point and I'm delighted with that.

"We're mixing it with the best now, that's my job and the players have responded, I felt they were coached well during the week."

Turner accepts that the Dragons are the cinderella Welsh region, but pledges to bring his young players on.

"We are known as the fourth Welsh region, I don't mind that as the other three have got more resources. We've just got to carry on developing our own players and the youngsters," he said.

"For the Ospreys to bring guys like Filo Tiatia, Adam Jones and Mike Phillips off the bench shows their quality, but players like Dan Lydiate and Lewis Evans are ones for the future here.

"A lot of young players stood up like Rob Lewis, Tom Isaacs, Dan and Lewis. They had some dangerous runners, but we deserved the win."

The Ospreys complained about the legality of some of the tries, claiming Jason Tovey was offside from Colin Charvis' crosskick, Rhys Thomas failed to ground the ball properly and there was offside in Gareth Wyatt effort.

Coach Sean Holley's doubts were dismissed by Turner who said, "Sean ought to sort out the short side of his defence, but this sort of thing is swings and roundabouts. Colin saw what was on, he intended it and the ball stuck. It was an important crosskick and you need those bits of luck."