Despite a hat-trick of tries from Regan King, Llanelli Scarlets missed out on a chance to move top of the Magners League table on Sunday as Edinburgh produced an energetic display to chalk up Andy Robinson’s first win since he took charge last month. The Scarlets, who fielded a weakened side due to Wales’ Test match this weekend with South Africa, were hoping to notch their first win north of the border against Edinburgh and the four points that would send them to the league’s summit. However, things did not work out the way the Welsh visitors planned as Edinburgh, who had won all three of the sides’ previous meetings at Murrayfield, scored 13 points without reply in the closing half-hour to claim only their second win in their last 13 outings. Both sides leaked 30-plus points in European last weekend and were determined to get back to winning ways. The Scots, whose winger Simon Webster failed a fitness test on a shin injury, were first off the mark as young fly half David Blair planted a third-minute penalty through the posts. In a scrappy opening, the Scarlets looked the more potent with Rhys Priestland combining well with his centres King and Jon Davies. King was involved twice in a sparkling move which saw him stopped just short of the Edinburgh line by Hugo Southwell. Phil Davies’ charges were beginning to click and it took some solid tackling from Craig Smith and Andrew Maxwell to keep the Welsh side from getting within range for a try. Their opening came on the quarter-hour as, after a patient build-up, a lovely break from Jon Davies, who slipped out of a tackle from David Blair, saw the Scarlets number 12 send his midfield partner King over to the right of the posts. Priestland missed the conversion and also a subsequent penalty kick as the Scarlets began to stretch the Edinburgh defence to the left and then right where Darren Daniel was just metres short of the line. But Edinburgh turned things around coming up to the half-hour mark and were helped by a stirring run out of his own half from influential flanker Ross Rennie. The Scots got within range near the 22, drew a penalty from the visitors and Blair landed his second successful penalty for a 6-5 home lead. Straight off the restart, winger Maxwell blazed over for a fantastic individual try. Priestland tried to catch Edinburgh out by kicking to the right where both King and Daniel were lurking but Maxwell positioned himself well to gather the kick between the Scarlets dangerman and the former Ulster player set off on a thrilling 70-metre dash to the line. The Ireland Sevens international raced up towards the Scarlets’ 22, stepped past a tackle from Daniel Evans and shrugged off the challenge of the retreating Priestland for a memorable 28th-minute score. Blair missed the conversion but Edinburgh were certainly sparked into life. Rennie made another impressive charge forward and with the Scarlets under pressure, a Ross Ford burst forward led to another ruck infringement. Blair booted the penalty to move Edinburgh 14-5 ahead. However, two minutes before the break, the Scarlets worked King over for a smashing second try. The men in red probed out wide on the left through Jon Davies. He found flanker James Bater, who came in off a great angle, and a neat offload sent King speeding over for the touchdown. Priestland converted to leave his trailing by 14-12 at half-time and the Scarlets number 10 was heavily involved in the early part of the second half. He began to pepper the right wing with a series of delicate kicks and one such effort, which bobbled invitingly over the whitewash, saw the onrushing King beat both Maxwell and Southwell to the ball to grab his third touchdown. That unconverted score left the Scarlets 17-14 in front but the visitors failed to score for the remainder as Edinburgh gradually took control. They took their time about reassuming the lead with Andrew Turnbull being called back for a forward pass when it looked like he was through for a one-on-one with full-back Evans. Mike Blair almost sent Southwell over in the left corner but Daniel stepped in to intercept. However, two quick-fire penalty goals from replacement Phil Godman after 59 and 61 minutes had the Scots in the ascendancy again on the scoreboard – 20-17. Godman’s second successful kick came after a great attack out of the Edinburgh half that saw Nick De Luca, Rennie and Ford combine superbly. Llanelli then lost replacement front rower Iestyn Thomas to the sin-bin for a needless ruck infringement and while Godman knocked the resulting penalty off the left upright, Edinburgh had the game within their grasp. They made sure of the points in the 70th-minute when Matt Dey, another impressive replacement, surged into the visitors’ 22 and found De Luca on his right shoulder. The Edinburgh outside centre still had a lot of work to do but he managed to use his upper body strength to shield the ball from his tackler Gavin Evans and slide over the line despite Evans’ best efforts to prevent the grounding. Television match official Andy Ireland confirmed the try which Godman converted and there was no way back for Simon Easterby and company.
