Blues see off Scarlets
Cardiff Blues held off a late fightback from the Scarlets to ensure a crucial 19-15 derby victory in the Magners League on Saturday.
Last Updated: 26/09/09 10:04pm
Cardiff Blues held off a late fightback from the Scarlets to ensure a crucial 19-15 derby win in the Magners League on Saturday.
Having found themselves 19-3 behind with just five minutes of regulation time remaining, the Scarlets staged a ferocious comeback and battered at the home line for fully 11 minutes of added time.
However, they ultimately came up just short as the Blues stood firm to register a hard-fought victory.
The home side were out to end a run of five successive Magners League defeats and started much the better of the two sides but had nothing to show for their domination with full-back Ben Blair striking a post with a penalty and Australian fly-half Sam Norton-Knight firing wide with a drop-goal attempt.
They were made to pay as the Scarlets got on the board first through a Daniel Evans penalty, but Blair cancelled it out before the Blues finally created a fine try.
A Richard Mustoe burst down the touchline set up a fine handling move that freed number eight Xavier Rush, whose inside pass saw fellow New Zealander Paul Tito crash over.
Blair kicked the conversion from out wide and added a 50-yard penalty before half-time to put his side well in control of proceedings.
The same player then chipped in with two further penalties as the Blues pulled 16 points clear well into the final quarter of the match.
But after losing the talismanic Rush with a hand injury - which forced them to play a lock in the back row - the Blues found themselves under severe pressure in their own 22, returning Lion Matthew Rees being denied a touchdown after a prolonged examination by the television official.
It was a temporary reprieve though as Scarlets number eight David Lyons drove off a five-metre scrum and powered over the try-line with Evans adding the conversion.
Another score soon followed as home nerves began to shred, a gaping hole in the Blues midfield being exploited by Rhys Priestland who laid on a try for centre Jonathan Davies, but Evans' missed kick left the Scarlets still needing another try to snatch victory.
It proved too much, and despite a lengthy siege under the Blues posts the visitors were unable to break through, and the home crowd, a healthy 12,198, were able to celebrate in relief.
