Wing Richard Mustoe grabbed a dramatic try deep into injury-time to help the Newport Gwent Dragons beat Llanelli 15-13 yesterday and deny the Scarlets a place at the top of the Magners League.
Victory would have taken the Scarlets above leaders Leinster, and by half-time the Stradey Park men seemed to be on the way to their sixth win of the competition - not to mention revenge for a shock 30-23 reverse at the hands of Dragons on September 1st.
It was an average first half, watched by a crowd of 6,782 at Rodney Parade, as both sides seemed to be suffering from a new year hangover.
Outhalf Rhys Priestland got the only points of the first quarter when the Dragons scrumhalf Andy Williams was harshly penalised for a deliberate knock-on as he attempted to disrupt possession for his Wales opposite number Dwayne Peel.
The Scarlets looked the more capable of crossing for a try, their fullback Morgan Stoddard in particular a constant threat.
And it was a darting run from the man capped by Wales against the world champions, South Africa, last November that led to the first touchdown of the match.
That assault put the Scarlets near the Dragons' posts and, after the visitors had won a scrum, the home eight disintegrated and gave away a penalty try for deliberately wheeling the setpiece.
Priestland's conversion was simple from in front of the posts but the Scarlets did themselves no favours just before the break when flanker James Bater held onto the ball at a ruck inside his own 22 and was sinbinned.
That gave the home outhalf, Ceri Sweeney, an easy 20-metre shot at goal and some relief as the players headed into the dressingrooms.
Yet the Dragons, who had put in a gritty display at Cardiff Blues on St Stephen's Day, especially when down to 13 men in the first half, wanted that first double over the side from West Wales.
And, after both teams changed frontrow men, the initiative changed in the scrum towards the Gwent side.
They made it tell when they were awarded an attacking scrum inside the Scarlets 22.
Williams received quick ball and sent Sweeney on a darting run past Priestland for centre Ashley Smith to take the scoring pass and go under the posts.
Sweeney's conversion levelled the match at 10-10 but the Scarlets were soon back in front as Priestland slotted his second penalty.
The hosts had dramatic chances to win the match in injury-time, initially messing up an attacking lineout inside the Scarlets' 22.
And they were given a final opportunity with a scrum in the 88th minute when the ball was swung across the backs to their American centre Paul Emerick.
He gave it to fullback Kevin Morgan, who slipped a tackle and sent Mustoe in at the corner to snatch victory and a badly needed win for the Gwent region.
On New Year's Eve James Hook kicked five penalties and converted Huw Bennett's try to guide the Ospreys to a well-merited 22-3 win over Cardiff Blues at Liberty Stadium, the result also preventing the Blues from overtaking Leinster at the top of the table.
The Ospreys had won only one of their last five league clashes, were sitting 13 points behind Leinster in the table, and were without their Wales international Gavin Henson, who failed a late fitness test on a hand injury, but in an error-strewn game where defences dominated they won easily - though the Blues did twice go close to notching a late consolation try.
How They Stand
P W D L F A B Pts Leinster 9 6 1 2 203 147 2 28
Cardiff 9 6 0 3 176 152 3 27
Munster 9 5 1 3 167 123 3 25
Llanelli 9 5 0 4 218 161 5 25
Edinburgh 9 4 2 3 170 160 3 23
Glasgow 9 4 1 4 166 168 2 20
Ospreys 9 3 1 5 159 133 5 19
Dragons 9 4 0 5 156 204 1 17
Connacht 9 2 1 6 110 183 1 11
Ulster 9 2 1 6 112 206 1 11
RESULTS: New Year's Eve: Ospreys 22 (Try: Bennett. Con: Hook. Pens: Hook 5); Cardiff Blues 3 (Pen: Blair). New Year's Day: N-G Dragons 15 (Tries: Smith, Mustoe. Con: Sweeney. Pen: Sweeney); Llanelli Scarlets 13: Try: Penalty try. Con: Priestland. Pens: Priestland 2.
