Dragons blow out after Lewis fires wide

DRAGONS caretaker head coach Ceri Jones refused to point the finger at rookie referee Ben Blain as his team came within an inch of a famous Munster scalp.

Torrential driving rain and mud turned the game into a kicking and setpiece battle, one the home side lost by the narrowest of margins as Josh Lewis’ late penalty attempt flew wide.

Dragons scored through Lloyd Fairbrother which Lewis converted, but Jean Kleyn’s try and a Bill Johnston penalty put Munster top of Conference A.

Blain penalised the hosts 14 times and most of those came in the third quarter but Jones said: “Our penalty count in the second half wasn’t good enough.

“I was disappointed by one decision against Josh for playing the man in the air, but I am not here to shoot down a referee – it’s his first game in the PRO14. There are going to be errors. I am disappointed – the penalty count was down to us.”

“Tactically we were good and our work rate was excellent to put ourselves in a position to win the game – we just didn’t take that opportunity.”

With the wind in their favour, the Dragons started the better and when Lewis kicked to the corner, a lineout drive ended with prop Fairbrother piling over the line.

Munster woke up before the break and their flyhalf Johnston was upended by wing Jared Rosser who was fortunate to escape a card. Still, Johnston’s penalty was some consolation for the visitors.

Munster pushed for a score right on half time, but TMO Dave Pearson could find no clear proof tighthead Stephen Archer had downward pressure.

After the break Lewis’ drop-goal attempt barely got above ankle height and Munster responded with a long spell of dominance, turning down kickable penalties in favour of line-out drives which were at first unsuccessful.

Dragons lock Matthew Screech was carded for sacking one such drive but finally Munster broke through with Kleyn emerging from a pile of bodies. Johnston couldn’t convert and Lewis was unable to make the most of the miss as he skewed a late attempt wide.

Munster coach Johann van Graan said: “I’m pleased with the win. Our tight five really stepped up in the second half.”