Cardiff Blues defeated Newport Gwent Dragons on Sunday in the Guiness Pro12. It finished 21-20 in Blues’ favour, with Rhys Patchell’s 79th minute converted penalty proving to be the killer for Kingsley Jones’s Dragons.
After just a few minutes on the clock, Dorian Jones – son of Kingsley Jones – successfully drop kicked over the posts to get the Newport side 3-0 up.
Dragons winger Ashton Hewitt then scored the first try of the day at Rodney Parade when he was one on one with Cardiff’s Rhys Patchell and with some neat footwork, brushed past the Scarlets-bound full-back to finish well in the corner. However, fly-half Jones failed to secure the extra two points from his boot.
With two Rhys Patchell penalties gaining Blues six points in the first-half from the kicking tee, the two sides went in at half-time with Dragons ahead by 11 points to 6.
In the second-half Danny Wilson wanted to change things up for Blues, shifting Patchell to his preferred position of fly-half, with Dan Fish coming on at full-back and then Cory Allen on for his first game in the centre since the World Cup.
In the 60th minute, Blues rode through many phases on the Dragons five-metre line and eventually, referee Ian Davies awarded Blues the five points with a penalty try being given against the Newport outfit.
The half-time change in the back-line resulted in an impressive Tom James try in the 70th minute. The ball broke through the Dragons line, and Dan Fish drew in Alex Cuthbert and long-term winger James tapped down to give Danny Wilson some relief.
After a few penalties scored in the second-half by Dragons, the score on 78 minutes was 20-18 in Newport’s favour, although a crushing 79th minute penalty kick from Rhys Patchell secured Blues the five points.
Blues now sit in 9th place, with Dragons struggling in 10th.
