Dan Parks held his nerve with a last-gasp drop goal to help Connacht come from behind and edge out Newport Gwent Dragons 14-11 and move off the bottom of the RaboDirect PRO12 table.

A Dan Evans try and two penalties from Jason Tovey had the Dragons ahead in the game right up until the 75^th minute when Fionn Carr touched down for the visitors, latching onto Parks’ cross-field kick.

And then a final attack set up by the Connacht forwards, who were outstanding all evening, created the chance for the fly-half to kick a drop goal with just a minute remaining.

Already plagued by a lengthy injury list the hosts lost Dave McSharry after just six minutes to an ankle injury, Carr coming on in his place as there was a reshuffle among the backs.

The Dragons had the wind in their favour during the first half and despite a missed penalty from Tovey after seven minutes from 22 metres out they were ahead not long after through Evans.

A fantastic break from Ross Wardle, catching Robbie Henshaw out in the hosts’ defensive line, allowed the full-back to touch down on eight minutes although Tovey was wayward with the conversion.

The fly-half however was successful from the kicking tee at the third time of asking on 15 minutes, slotting home a penalty, while Connacht were struggling to deal with the stiff breeze.

Connacht were dominant in the scrum but despite earning their best attacking position of the game in the 22^nd minute, an interception by Pat Leach almost had the Dragons further ahead.

The centre intercepted a Kieran Marmion pass and made a 50-metre break but thankfully for Connacht Matt Healy was able to get back to make a try-saving tackle.

Another positive scrum earned the hosts a penalty and Parks, backing himself against the wind by going for the posts, got Connacht on the scoreboard for 8-3.

The Dragons failed to make the most of the advantageous conditions in the first half as they couldn’t get another score before the break and their lead was cut short just after the restart.

Parks scored a penalty on 44 minutes to move his side within two points of their opponents but they then suffered another blow as Jake Heenan was forced off with an injury.

A Tovey penalty then put the visitors out to an 11-6 lead as the hosts failed to roll away, although the Connacht forwards continued to dominate their opponents and were earning penalty after penalty.

The pressure finally told and the Dragons were reduced to 14 men as Owen Evans was sent to the bin by referee Alain Rolland, Parks however was wayward with the resulting penalty.

With no points gained with their opponents a man light and the rain absolutely hammering down, Connacht faced a tough challenge to gain something from the game.

A pick and drive from the hosts however had them right up to the Dragons try line and after some solid defence a cross-field kick from Parks found Carr and he touched down.

The conversion was just a metre in from the right-hand touchline and Parks wasn’t able to put his side ahead as his kick sailed just wide of the posts, the score at 11-11 with five minutes remaining.

The Connacht forwards then set up Parks for a match-winning drop goal and a fantastic strike from all of 30 metres saw his side record just their second win of the season.

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