Connacht on top everywhere except the scoreboard

Celtic League Connacht 18 Cardiff Blues 21Attempting to exact revenge proved a frustrating exercise for Connacht when, with near total ownership of ball and territory, all the attacking play, a rock-solid scrum, and home advantage, they still came up short in their latest Celtic League action.

Saturday's return visit of Cardiff Blues represented an opportunity to measure Michael Bradley's side's improving form since their September 33-17 defeat in Wales.

"In our earlier game we had about 20 per cent of position, today we had about 75 per cent. A lot of positives, yes, but so frustrating because we did not get the result we should have," said Bradley. "Disappointing, and a silly game to lose."

Having created countless opportunities, Connacht left it late to reduce the 15-point arrears Cardiff outhalf Nick Robinson had inflicted by the 45th minute.

Eventually the Dubarry Park crowd had something to cheer when Connacht's persistence was rewarded with two late tries, sufficient to come within three points and earn a bonus point, but it was little consolation.

Luck, or lack of it, also played its part. Two goal kicks hit the upright and crossbar, four block-downs bounced the wrong way, four rolling mauls were halted illegally - "The gods were not with us," lamented Bradley.

Connacht were also culpable, particularly when their frustration was reflected in a loss of shape and numerous knock-ons, although Cardiff's defence was on form - albeit living on the margins of off-side. "Certainly there were too many unforced errors, but they were also good at killing the ball and slowing down our ball, which frustrated us."

That frustration reached its peak just before half-time when Connacht were camped on Cardiff's line. Centre Darren Yapp and flanker Matt Lacey both had come within yards of the line, before four successive penalties were kicked to touch and mauled. On each occasion Cardiff offended, eventually resulting in prop Kenneth Fourie's sin-binning, but when it finally looked as if Connacht had made the breakthrough, referee Mike Hall was unable to call it.

Connacht's only reward for a dominant half was a three-pointer from Eric Elwood, while Cardiff took a 10-point lead when turning scraps of possession into points. Robinson did the damage. Grabbing possession when Connacht lost the ball with the line in sight, he sprinted the length of the pitch for a 15th-minute try. He gilded the conversion with two penalties either side of the try for a 13-3 half-time lead.

Within five minutes of the restart he had crossed for his second after scrumhalf Ryan Powell wrongfooted the Connacht back row, extending the lead to 3-18.

Thereafter Connacht continued to dominate, but it took 25 minutes to make any progress on the scoreboard after Elwood's second penalty on 56 minutes. Finally replacement prop Adrian Clarke finished off a sweeping right-to-left move, but Elwood's conversion hit the upright. McHugh's penalty effort from the 10-metre line hit the crossbar.

However, when Cardiff failed to clear their lines after O'Loughlin's attempted blockdown, Yapp sent substitute Mike McCarthy over in the right corner. With just minutes left on the clock, Elwood added the conversion.

Scoring sequence: 1 min: Robinson pen 0-3; 15: Robinson try and con 0-10; 21: Elwood pen 3-10, Robinson pen 3-13. Half-time: 3-13. 45: Robinson try 3-18; 56: Elwood pen 6-18; 65: Clarke try 11-18; 72: Robinson pen 11-21; 78: McCarthy try, Elwood con 18-21.

CONNACHT: M McHugh; M Mostyn, D Yapp, T Allnutt, T Robinson; E Elwood, C O'Loughlin; D McFarland, M Uijs, P Bracken, D Browne, A Farley, M Swift, M Lacey, M Carroll. Replacements: A Clarke for Bracken (56 mins), B Jackman for Uijs, M McCarthy for Browne (both 58 mins), S Moore for Allnutt (67 mins), P Neville for Carroll (71 mins), W Munn for Yapp (81 mins).

CARDIFF BLUES: D van Vuuren; N Walne, J Robinson, M Allen, C Morgan; N Robinson, R Powell; K Fourie, R Thomas, B Evans, H Senekal, A Moore (capt), M Cockbain, R Sowden-Taylor, N Thomas. Replacements: A Lewis for Thomas (62 mins), R Appleyard for Cockbain (77mins). Sin-binned: K Fourie 39 mins.

Referee: M Hall (Scotland).