Dragons edge Treviso

Editor

A late three-pointer from Jason Tovey ensured the Dragons finished off their season at Rodney Parade with victory over Treviso.

A late three-pointer from Jason Tovey ensured the Dragons finished off their season at Rodney Parade with victory over Treviso.

A late penalty from Jason Tovey gave Newport Gwent Dragons a 20-19 victory over Treviso in a hard fought game at Rodney Parade. Fabio Semenzato and Tyler Morgan scored tries in the first half as there was nothing to choose between the two sides.

There was a further try apiece for both sides in the second half through Will Harries and Manoa Vosawai, as Treviso looked as if they would just edge the game, but Tovey scored late on to deny the Italians their first away win of the season.

Tovey opened the scoring in just the second minute with a confident penalty. But the lead didn't last long and scrum-half Semenzato went over for Treviso. Despite Alberto Di Bernado's missed kick, Treviso went 5-3 ahead.

The Italian side dominated the early proceedings, and their pressure forced Harries in to the sin-bin after an infringement occurred when tracking a Christian Loamanu break.

The visitors looked to capitalise on their numerical advantage for the next ten minutes, but the Welsh hosts held firm and were happy to only concede a Di Bernardo penalty while down to 14 men.

Harries returned not long after and on the half hour mark the Dragons struck back, Morgan collecting Lewis Evans' offload to streak clear for a fine individual score, Tovey adding the extras to put them back in front at 10-8.

A Di Bernardo penalty just before half time puts visitors back in front at the interval however although the Dragons were beginning to have a foot-hold in the game. Just five minutes after the restart Harries went over for a score. Morgan was at the heart of the move with a fine burst down the left who chipped a ball over the top that Harries got on the end of to go over. Tovey converted to leave the Dragons 17-11 ahead.

On the hour mark Treviso fought their way back in to the game, though. Vosawai went over in the corner. Di Bernardo missed the conversion but made up for it moments later when he kicked a penalty to put the Italian 19-17 ahead, and seemingly win the game.

There was one final sting in the tail from the hosts as Tovey kicked a penalty late on to give the Dragons a 20-19 victory. There was some consolation for Treviso though, as their losing bonus point lifted them above Zebre in to the final Italian European qualification spot.

The scorers:

For Dragons:
Morgan, Harries
Cons: Tovey 2
Tovey
Yellow card: Harries

For Treviso:
Tries: Semenzato, Vosawai
Pens: Di Bernardo 3

The teams:

Dragons: 15 Hallam Amos, 14 Tom Prydie, 13 Pat Leach, 12 Jack Dixon, 11 Will Harries, 10 Jason Tovey, 9 Richie Rees, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Nic Cudd, 6 Lewis Evans, 5 Matthew Screech, 4 Andrew Coombs (c), 3 Duncan Bell, 2 T Rhys Thomas, 1 Phil Price
Replacements: 16 Sam Parry, 17 Owen Evans, 18 Bruce Douglas, 19 Rob Sidoli, 20 Jevon Groves, 21 Jonathan Evans, 22 Kris Burton, 23 Tyler Morgan

Treviso: 15 Luke McLean, 14 Ludovico Nitoglia, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12 Alberto Sgarbi, 11 Angelo Esposito, 10 Alberto Di Bernardo, 9 Fabio Semenzato, 8 Manoa Vosawai, 7 Paul Derbyshire, 6 Christian Loamanu, 5 Marco Fuser, 4 Antonio Pavanello (c), 3 Lorenzo Cittadini, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Alberto De Marchi
Replacements: 16 Giovanni Maistri, 17 Matteo Muccignat, 18 Ignacio Fernandez-Rouyet,
19 Valerio Bernabò, 20 Dean Budd, 21 Andrea Pratichetti, 22 James Ambrosini, 23 Mat Berquist

Referee: John Lacey (Ire)