Magners League Table

Team
Pld
Pts
LeinsterLeinster1861
Cardiff BluesBlues1856
MunsterMunster1848
Edinburgh RugbyEdinburgh1848
Glasgow WarriorsWarriors1846
Llanelli ScarletsScarlets1839
OspreysOspreys1837
DragonsDragons1834
UlsterUlster1829
Connacht RugbyConnacht1824
First Stradey Park success for inspired Dragons
23 - 30
Stradey Park   Att: 5,923
Saturday 1st September 2007, 17:30
The Newport Gwent Dragons won for the first time in nine encounters with the Scarlets thanks to a power-packed first half display at Stradey Park this afternoon.
Action from Stradey Park
Dragons flanker Jamie Ringer makes a break at Stradey Park
www.Inpho.ie
September 2006 was the last time the Dragons won away in the league, but today in an impressive showing, first half tries from Rhys Thomas and Gareth Wyatt helped guide the region to their first ever triumph at Stradey Park.

Ending a miserable run of eight successive defeats to the Scarlets, Paul Turner's side were 20-0 up in as many minutes in front of a 5,923-strong crowd. Their first try, dotted down after only 58 seconds, was set up by on-loan winger Richard Mustoe who ran the kick-off back with gusto and the hosts were stunned when prop Thomas piled over the line.

The score will go down in Magners League history as Tony Rowlands, who was called upon by referee James Jones, became the league's first Television Match official to be used in awarding a try.

Ten minutes later Dragons winger Wyatt intercepted a Ceiron Thomas pass to run over from halfway for the visitors' second try. Former Scarlets fly-half Aled Thomas converted both touchdowns and tagged on three penalties for a 23-3 interval lead for the Dragons.

The Scarlets' only response up to that point had been a Ceiron Thomas penalty, but stung into action by Phil Davies' half-time words, they set up winger Garan Evans for a slick try.

Replacement prop Iestyn Thomas was bundled over for another Scarlets seven-pointer after a well-worked lineout drive and a Ceiron Thomas penalty, following the sin-binning of Aled Thomas, reduced the arrears to just three points.

Down to 14 men, the Dragons had some work on their hands to hold on for the win but they managed to do so with busy scrum half Andy Williams scoring a deserved try.

Centre Phil Dolman converted to stretch the visitors' lead to 30-20, and although Ceiron Thomas swung over a subsequent penalty, Turner's troops held firm as the Scarlets lost for only the second time in 20 home league games.

Llanelli Scarlets V Dragons
 PDCTPosPlayerPlayerPosTCDP 





FB
Morgan Stoddart
15
Martyn Thomas
FB









1
W
Garan Evans
14
Gareth Wyatt
W
1









C
Regan King
13
Phil Dollman
C

1


Replacement off





C
Gavin Evans
12
Ashley Smith
C










W
Matthew Watkins
11
Richard Mustoe
W






3

2

FH
Ceiron Thomas
10
Aled Thomas
FH

2

3
Yellow card
Replacement off




SH
Gavin Cattle
9
Andy Williams
SH
1



Replacement off
Replacement off




P
Phil John
1
Adam Black
P




Replacement off
Replacement off




H
James Hayter
2
Steve Jones
H




Replacement off





P
Deacon Manu
3
Rhys M. Thomas
P
1



Replacement off





L
Adam Eustace
4
Luke Charteris
L





Replacement off




L
Dominic Day
5
Adam Jones
L




Replacement off





FL
Dafydd Jones
6
Jamie Ringer
FL










FL
James Bater
7
Richard Parks
FL










8
Nathan Thomas
8
Nic Fitisemanu
8




Replacement off
Replacements
Replacement on



1
rp
Iestyn Thomas
16
Ben Daly
rh




Replacement on
Replacement on




rh
Ken Owens
17
Hugh Gustafson
rp




Replacement on
Replacement on




rl
Vernon Cooper
18
Peter Sidoli
rl




Replacement on





-
Jonathan Edwards
19
Dan Lydiate
r8




Replacement on
Replacement on




rsh
Liam Davies
20
Gareth Maule
rc




Replacement on





-
Rhys Priestland
21
Gareth McCarthy
-










-
Jon Davies
22
Wayne Evans
rsh




Replacement on
Penalty Tries
0
0
First half timeline
0Llanelli Scarlets
Penalty kick - J Bater
1Dragons
Try - R Thomas
1Dragons
Conversion - A Thomas
10Dragons
Penalty kick - A Thomas
11Dragons
Try - G Wyatt
11Dragons
Conversion - A Thomas
17Dragons
Penalty kick - A Thomas
21Llanelli Scarlets
Penalty kick - C Thomas
37Dragons
Penalty kick - A Thomas
Second half timeline
41Llanelli Scarlets
Substitution - I Thomas on for P John
41Llanelli Scarlets
Substitution - V Cooper on for D Day
44Llanelli Scarlets
Try - G Evans
44Llanelli Scarlets
Conversion - C Thomas
50Llanelli Scarlets
Try - I Thomas
50Llanelli Scarlets
Conversion - C Thomas
53Dragons
Substitution - B Daly on for S Jones
53Dragons
Substitution - P Sidoli on for A Jones
53Dragons
Substitution - D Lydiate on for N Fitisemanu
54Dragons
Yellow card - A Thomas
55Llanelli Scarlets
Penalty kick - C Thomas
61Dragons
Try - A Williams
61Dragons
Conversion - P Dollman
65Llanelli Scarlets
Penalty kick - C Thomas
65Llanelli Scarlets
Substitution - L Davies on for G Cattle
67Dragons
Substitution - H Gustafson on for R Thomas
67Dragons
Substitution - W Evans on for A Williams
74Dragons
Substitution - R Thomas on for A Black
78Llanelli Scarlets
Substitution - K Owens on for J Hayter
79Dragons
Substitution - G Maule on for P Dollman
All Pictures: ©  http://www.inpho.ie/, Huw Evans Agency,  Martin Stuart
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