Cardiff scrape home in fiery Welsh derby
A MOMENT of madness from Cardiff hooker Liam Belcher almost ruined his side’s chances of their first away win of the season.
With Dragons down to 14 after a 16th minute red card for Joe Davies, and trailing 10-3, an out-of-control Belcher – in one of the ugliest tackles of the year – clattered into the head of Dragons’ young fly-half, Will Reed.
Belcher was sent off with Reed departing for a HIA only to return and crucially miss a lastminute penalty to save Belcher’s bacon.
Cardiff’s captain, Josh Navidi, said: “It’s a tough place to come but our illdiscipline let us down and we had to grind out the win. It was a stop-start affair and wasn’t a great game to play in.”
The game before Dragons’ biggest crowd of the season certainly wasn’t an enjoyable spectacle as there were few moments of enterprise.
This was surprising as there were players on view who were in the frame for selection for Wales’ upcoming tour to South Africa but none put forward a cast-iron case to demand inclusion.
Cardiff dominated the first half but lacked penetration and needed more nous to ensure that dangerous wings, Owen Lane
and Theo Cabango, had more than scraps. Up front, Rhys Carre, James Botham and James Ratti had a few decent carries but not enough to make a huge difference.
Dragons have a few contenders. Jack Dixon took his try-scoring chance superbly but his lack of pace in defence was exposed by Ray Lee-Lo and Lane. Back rowers, Harrison Keddie and Ollie Griffiths were as industrious as ever but
competition for places in that area is fierce.
A penalty from Rhys Priestland gave Cardiff an early lead before Dragons suffered a setback when Davies was sent off for a high challenge on Carre.
Priestland’s penalty was the only score of a pedestrian first quarter with Cardiff having much the better of territory and possession but having little idea how to capitalise on it.
A penalty from Reed put Dragons on the scoreboard
before Lane enlivened proceedings by racing past Dixon to provide Lloyd Williams with a run-in.
Belcher, making his 50th appearance for the club, was then red carded with
Dragons immediately benefitting when Griffiths picked up from a 5m scrum to crash over with a conversion from Sam Davies leaving the scores level at 10-10 at the interval.
Priestland’s penalty was the only score of a featureless third quarter before Dragons took the lead for the first time when they moved the ball sweetly along their three-quarter line for Dixon to force his way over.
Priestland restored
Cardiff’s advantage with two penalties in quick succession before a second from Reed set up a tense finish – but his late miss proved decisive as Dragons fell to their 14th consecutive defeat at the hands of their opponents.
Dragons DoR Dean Ryan said: “Any plan we had went out of the window in the first 15 minutes. The boys came together fantastically but once again we invite teams onto us too easily.”