Llanelli - 33 Connacht - 33 Connacht did their best to stop Llanelli from narrowing Ulster's lead at the top of the Celtic League table when they forced the Welsh outfit to share the spoils at Stradey Park, last night. They came away with three hard-earned points courtesy of a fourth-try bonus point.

Connacht closed down a 27-13 deficit to draw level with a penalty try on 76 minutes. Yet when outhalf Gareth Bowen's penalty put Llanelli ahead three minutes later, it looked like the Welsh outfit would prevail. Connacht, however, were rewarded when Eric Elwood slotted over a penalty on 82 minutes.

The home side sneaked ahead after Matthew Watkins scored a try on 28 minutes and within a minute of the restart Tal Selley extended the lead to 27-13.

Connacht responded with tries from Matt Mostyn on 46 minutes and Wayne Munn's second on 66 minutes, with the two missed conversions the difference entering the last quarter.

After a fiery Llanelli start which had them ahead with two Bowen penalties by the fourth minute, Elwood settled the side with a seventh-minute penalty. Connacht then struck through Munn, who crossed for the opening try. Llanelli's Bryn Griffiths went over to put his side back in front but Elwood added a second penalty before Llanelli struck with their two tries.

SCORING SEQUENCE: 2 mins: Bowen pen 3-0; 4: Bowen pen 6-0; 7: Elwood pen 6-3; 14: Munn try, Elwood con 6-10; 15: Griffiths try, Bowen con 13-10; 27: Elwood pen 13-13; 28: Watkins try, Bowen con 20-13; half time: 20-13. 41: Selley try, Bowen con 27-13; 46: Mostyn try 27-18; 66: Munn try 27-23; 73: Bowen pen 30-23; 76: Connacht pen try, Elwood con 30-30; 79: Bowen pen 33-30; 82: Elwood pen 33-33.

LLANELLI: B Davies, G Evans, T Selley, M Watkins, S Finau, G Bowen, M Phillips, D Maddocks, A Gravelle, J Thiel, B Griffiths, A Jones, D Hodges, I Boobyer, S Quinnell. Replacements: J Davies for Thiel (56); C Wyatt for Griffiths (57).

CONNACHT: M Mostyn, C McPhillips, D Yapp, M McHugh, W Munn, E Elwood, M Walls, D McFarland, B Jackman, A Clarke, D Browne, A Farley, P Neville, M Lacey, J O'Sullivan. Replacements: M Swift for Neville (half time); P Bracken for Clarke and C O'Loughlin for Walls (both 64). Yellow Cards: G Bowen (60); J O'Sullivan (52).

Referee: M Hall (Scotland).