Connacht left it late to overcome a defiant Scottish Borders at Netherdale last evening, wrapping up the victory with two late Mark McHugh penalties to advance to the next round of the Celtic Cup.
McHugh pushed Connacht into the lead in the 77th minute with his trademark accuracy from halfway after The Borders had taken a 46th-minute lead.
When he stepped up two minutes later at the same spot, it was all the more wounding for the Scottish side, who are desperate to get their season on track.
Although a point down at the break The Borders started the second half as they finished the first, running at their opponents. Craig Moir strode through after 46 minutes and Gareth Moreton added the conversion, changing the game in favour of the Scots.
Darren Yapp took the game by the scruff of the neck, breaking through from halfway to present Mike McCarthy with his first Connacht try, to make it 21-20.
Fullback Moreton had given the Scots an early lead in the first half after scrumhalf Chris Cusiter was taken out without the ball, to be replaced by veteran Gary Armstrong. However, it was Connacht's Eric Elwood who replied after 10 minutes, before pushing Connacht into the lead with a second penalty after 14 minutes. And the evergreen Elwood was again on target with a drop goal after 17 minutes to extend the lead to six points.
Yet Connacht's superiority up front was matched by the Borders' enthusiastic backline who tried to run the ball at every opportunity.
It manifested itself in the only try of the first half when Andy Turnbull's kick ahead caught the Connacht cover on the back foot, allowing him to race in for a sparkling try, closing the gap to a single point at the break.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 3 mins: Morton penalty 3-0; 10 Elwood penalty 3-3; 14 Elwood penalty 3-6; 17 Elwood penalty 3-9; 20 Morton penalty 6-9; 26 Elwood drop goal 6-12; 29 Morton penalty 9-12; 32 Elwood penalty 9-15; 40 Turnbull try 14-15. Half time 14-15. 46 Moir try, Morton converstion 21-15; 73 Mccarthy try 21-20; 77 McHugh penalty 21-23; 78 McHugh penalty 21-26.
Yellow card: C Feather (33m)
BORDERS: G Morton; C Moir, J Stuart, K Utterson (capt), A Turnbull; C Laidlaw, C Cusiter; K Todd, R Ford, G Cross, S McLeod, C Stewart, A Rennick, D Kane, C Feather. Replacements: G Armstrong for Cusiter (2 mins); S Scott for Ford, C Dunlea for Cross, T Walker for Rennick (all 63 mins),
CONNACHT: D Hewitt; M Mostyn, D Yapp, T Allnutt (capt), T Robinson; E Elwood, C O'Loughlin; W O'Kelly, J Fogarty, F Boiroux, M McCarthy, A Farley, P Neville, J O'Sullivan, M Carroll. Replacements: M McHugh for Elwood (h-t), R Hogan for Boiroux (49 mins), M Swift for Carroll (58 mins), M Walls for O'Loughlin (60 mins), M Uijs for Fogarty, S Moore for Allnutt (70 mins), F Boiroux for O'Kelly (83 mins).
Referee: P Fear (WRU).
