Borders 9 Connacht 18: Connacht survived a tricky assignment against The Borders in Netherdale last evening to pick up their first victory in five Celtic League matches.
They made hard work of it. After a dominant opening half, Connacht lived on the edge for most of the remainder as a determined Borders once again belied their status as bottom placed club in the league.
Pumped up after their victory over Leinster last weekend, Borders refused to lie down and Connacht only closed out the game with a 73rd minute penalty from centre Mark McHugh.
It was the only Connacht score of the half as they failed to impose themselves on a truculent Borders pack and, as a result, there was more than an element of relief for the Irish province, still in the hunt for the Heineken European Cup play-off place, particularly with Cardiff's loss to Edinburgh.
However, Connacht could reflect on a strong first-half performance, winning the psychological battle in the back line. Although Connacht started with another new formation, Paul Warwick, David Slemen, and Darren Yapp posed a greater threat than their counterparts who, time after time, ran out of ideas as they continued to hit a wall of Connacht defenders.
Having weathered an early storm from a pumped-up Borders pack, Connacht were full value for their points and unlike last week, a solid and varied lineout provided the platform. Hooker John Fogarty and John O'Sullivan were at their harassing best, constantly pressuring scrumhalf John Weston, who was in for the Scottish scrumhalf Chris Cusiter.
Warwick, with a penalty and conversion hitting the upright, produced Connacht's first try after 12 minutes of play, but it was outhalf David Slemen who was the major playmaker in his first start in the number 10 position, and he added a drop goal eight minutes later after Warwick was halted just shy of the line after a halfway break.
Although Borders got on the scoreboard with a 27th minute penalty from outhalf Alistair Warnock, the visitors continued to punch holes while the pack upped the tempo late in half with three penalties.
From O'Sullivan's lineout catch at the tail, the pack surged over with Fogarty peeling off to dive over to give Connacht a 3-15 half-time lead.
Within 10 minutes of the restart, however, Borders had closed the gap to just six points through two Warnock penalties and Connacht failed to take advantage when McEntee was yellow carded, exemplifying the Scottish side's increasing frustration at the breakdown.
Connacht, however, did not help their cause, losing composure with unforced errors and then the sin-binning of O'Sullivan after 68minutes.
In truth the Connacht number eight had been deemed by referee Hayes to have been living offside, and he finally paid the penalty. It handed the home side the initiative and the impetus for long periods, particularly when the forwards played a tight game.
Connacht, who never got into their own half until the end, made a 73rd-minute penalty count when McHugh stroked over his effort from halfway. In contrast Warnock missed a sitter minutes later and with it a bonus point.
In the night's other game Edinburgh defied a second-half comeback by Cardiff Blues to win 17-12 and hence claim the first Scottish victory at the Arms Park in Celtic League history.
Their early dominance should have brought an bigger interval lead than the 17 points they managed, but they needed some stout defence to confirm the visitors' success.
Edinburgh pressure was rewarded midway through the first period when full back Derrick Lee found space on the left and brushed aside two desperate tackles to score.
Brendan Laney converted and added a penalty before a rare Blues attack resulted in the visitors' second try. A turnover in the Edinburgh half enabled hooker Dougie Hall to send Simon Webster racing in unopposed from 60 yards. Laney's successful conversion was the last kick of a one-sided first half.
After the interval a series of drives gained Cardiff the position for scrumhalf Ryan Powell to dive over. But Lee Thomas made a hash of the conversion.
The Blues maintained their control and Edinburgh lock Nathan Hines saw yellow, allowing the home forwards to force their below-strength opponents over the line. Prop Martin Jones claimed the touchdown, with Nick Macleod converting.
Despite Laney missing an Edinburgh injury-time penalty, the points went north.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 12 mins: Warwick try, con, 0-7; 18: Slemen drop-goal, 0-10; 27: Warnock pen, 3-10; 40: Fogarty try, 3-15; Half-time: 3-15; 44: Warnock pen, 6-15; 49: Warnock pen, 9-15; 73: McHugh pen, 9-18.
THE BORDERS: G Morton; S Moffat, C MacRae, A Dickson, N Walker; A Warnock, J Weston; P Thomson, R Ford, G Cross, M Blair, C Stewart, J Dalziel, A Miller, W McEntee. Replacements: K Browne for Blair (49 mins), T Mcgee for Cross (60 mins). Sin bin: W McEntee (55 mins).
CONNACHT: M Mostyn; C McPhillips, P Warwick, M McHugh, D Yapp; D Slemen, T Tierney; R Hogan, J Fogarty, P Bracken, C Short, A Farley, M Swift, J Muldoon, J O'Sullivan. Replacement: S Knoop for Bracken (45 mins), C Keane for Tierney (49 mins); D McFarland for Hogan (59 mins); B O'Connor for O'Sullivan (78 mins). Sin bin: J O'Sullivan (68 mins).
Referee: T Hayes (Wales).
