Blues left empty-handed after Bennett’s late touchdown

CARDIFF Blues were left emptyhanded in a scrappy, error-strewn defeat at home to Edinburgh.

Owen Lane’s first-half try and the boot of Jarrod Evans meant they were always close in a contest as low on quality as it was on scoring, but Mark Bennett’s late try meant they finished their first home match of the season pointless.

The boot of Jaco van der Walt kept the scoreboard ticking over for the visitors.

Three first-half efforts from the tee punished indiscipline from the hosts – while two more attempts sailed wide.

Talking of indiscipline, both sides saw yellow cards for infringements in driving mauls.

Edinburgh lock Fraser McKenzie was sent to the bin for pulling down a driving lineout illegally – but the Blues couldn’t make them pay immediately as Blues hooker Liam Belcher lost the ball just before he could ground it.

But the Arms Park outfit would eventually make a mark on the scoreboard during McKenzie’s period off the field.

A flowing move from a lineout saw Jarrod Evans release Garyn Smith after Willis Halaholo had drawn the Edinburgh defence.

With Smith charging through a gap, he found Aled Summerhill, who had worked his way across the field from the left touchline. And the move was finished with Summerhill passing to the Blues’ other wing, Lane, to race over for the only try of the half.

There was still more talking points from the opening 40 minutes.

The other yellow card went the way of the Cardiff Blues – with Seb Davies perhaps a touch lucky not to have been shown a red after he needlessly upended Lewis Carmichael at the back of a driving maul.

After the break, Evans pushed the hosts in front with a penalty just four minutes into the second-half.

The lead would last just ten minutes after Duhan van der Merwe scythed through the home defence.

While the winger couldn’t escape the pressures of Mathew Morgan, he did drag Edinburgh into the home 22 and, after sustained pressure, van der Walt was presented with a kickable opportunity which he gratefully knocked over.

Little mistakes stopped the hosts from amounting any pressure as the match neared its climax and their pain was compounded as Edinburgh crossed for a try with eight minutes left after centre Matt Scott slipped through some poor tackling and fed midfield partner Bennett to hammer the final nail in the Blues’ coffin.

CARDIFF BLUES: Try: Lane. Pens: Evans (2).

EDINBURGH: Try: Bennett. Con: van der Walt. Pens: van der Walt (4).