Edinburgh battled to a 16-15 win over Newport Gwent Dragons to keep their GUINNESS PRO12 play-off hopes alive at Rodney Parade.

In difficult conditions in Wales, the Scots did just enough to squeeze home with Hamish Watson scoring their only try.

Hallam Amos crossed twice for the Dragons but they couldn’t find a way through at the end and had to settle for a losing bonus point.

In a scrappy opening it was the visitors who struck first midway through the first half, Blair Kinghorn nailing a penalty from halfway to reward his team for their efforts.

They almost added to their tally five minutes later when Watson thought he was over. The flanker was scragged just as he reached for the line and as he stretched out the ball finished just short of the line.

Sam Hidalgo-Clyne doubled the lead with a penalty on the half-hour, but the Dragons almost responded immediately when Amos went over in the left corner.

Unfortunately for the Welsh international, he had clearly put a foot in touch before reaching the line and Edinburgh had the chance to clear.

The lineout was overthrown though, and Phil Price collected only to be held up over the line, followed soon after by Lewis Evans.

Eventually the Dragons had to settle for three points from Dorian Jones after Edinburgh infringed, but that was quickly cancelled out by Hidalgo-Clyne as Edinburgh went in 9-3 ahead at half-time.

The Dragons burst out of the blocks at the start of the second half, with Amos going over within two minutes of the restart.

He popped up in midfield to collect the ball from Jones, and then had far too much pace, going round the outside of Jamie Ritchie and sprinting over. Jones converted to give the home side the lead for the first time.

The lead didn’t last long though as Edinburgh hit straight back, going to their driving lineout. After Watson had been denied in the first half, he copied Amos in making up for it in the second, working his way over from a maul. Hidalgo-Clyne’s conversion made it 16-10 to Edinburgh.

The Dragons weren’t about to give up though, and Amos had his second try on 53 minutes, the winger finishing off a fine move where Taulupe Faletau delivered the final pass to send him over on the left. Jones couldn’t
convert from the touchline as Edinburgh led by a point heading into the final half-hour.

Hidalgo-Clyne could have eased the pressure on Edinburgh but missed a penalty attempt soon after, and did the same again with ten minutes to go as the teams prepared for a grandstand finish.

In the end though the Dragons couldn’t get themselves back to within striking distance, a knock-on putting paid to their chances at the death.

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