Rugby Celtic League: Gwent Dragons - 28 Connacht - 19 Connacht suffered a rare away loss to a Welsh side this season, but in preventing the Dragons from securing a last-gasp try and bonus point, they ensured Ulster remained sole leaders of the Celtic League.
With Connacht and the home side sitting in third and fourth place respectively, a win and four-try bonus point could have given either a share of the top spot. But it was the Gwent-Newport outfit that looked most likely to succeed.
Unbeaten at home this season, but facing into an uncertain future with the club in administration, they came out breathing fire in the first half and had notched their third try within nine minutes of the restart to stretch the lead to 25-9. On this occasion it proved too much for Connacht to overcome, and they now head into their European competition with the focus on a two-leg knock-out against Beziers.
After Steve Jones had scored the Dragons' opening try in the 39th minute, Connacht leaked a second on the stroke of half-time to find themselves 18-3 down.
Finished by winger Ben Breeze with more than a hint of a forward pass, the Dragon's second reflected the home side's dominance in possession. They enjoyed the better continuity in the opening half with a fast-breaking rucking and mauling game that proved difficult to quench. That Connacht held out, having conceded nine penalties, was again testament to their strength in defence, but in attack they struggled to penetrate the Dragon's cover, although coming close on a couple of occasions.
Mark McHugh kept Connacht in contention with a penalty in the first half, and thereafter Connacht, still smarting from their narrow loss to Edinburgh in the Celtic Cup, raised their game to come within striking distance.
Conor McPhillips and Bernard Jackman came close to scoring from two Eric Elwood chips, while Matt Mostyn, returning to his former club ground, frequently broke through from defence to set up scoring platforms.
After a sustained period of attack, McHugh closed the gap with a penalty, but Connacht once again gave their opponents the opportunity to score from a penalty kicked to touch and centre Hal Luscombe raced in to maintain the home side's fire.
But Jackman crossed for a deserved try on 65 minutes after a sustained period of continuity and composure, and when McHugh added a 76th-minute penalty it seemed Connacht would leave Rodney Parade with a well-earned bonus point.
However, the Dragons sent their World Cup players into action in search of the fourth try. In the end a single penalty was as heartbreaking for Connacht as it was for the home side - it denied Connacht a point for their trojan second-half efforts, but it also prevented the Dragons from taking a share of the lead in the Celtic League.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 7 mins: L Jarvis pen, 3-0; 30 mins: Jarvis pen, 6-0; 32 mins: McHugh pen, 6-3; 39 mins: Jones try, Jarvis con, 13-3; 45 mins: Breeze try, 18-3. half-time: 18-3; 43 mins: McHugh pen, 18-6; 54 mins: McHugh pen, 18-9; 59 mins Luscombe try, Jarvis con, 25-9; 65 mins: Jackman try, McHugh con, 25-16; 77 mins: McHugh pen, 25-19; 81 mins: Jarvis pen, 28-19.
NEWPORT-GWENT DRAGONS: S Tuipulotu; N Brew, H Luscombe, S Winn, B Breeze; L Jarvis, G Baber; A Black, S Jones, C Anthony, I Gough, P Sidoli, J Ringer, J Forster (captain), R Oakley. Replacements: P Young for Black, 46 mins; M Owen for Oakley, 53 mins; R Beattie for Gough, 60 mins; P Young for Jones, 80 mins. Yellow card: P Sidoli, 32 mins.
CONNACHT: M Mostyn; C McPhillips, D Yapp, M McHugh, W Munn; D Hewitt, M Walls; D McFarland, B Jackman (captain), A Clarke, D Browne, A Farley, M Swift, T Carter, J O'Sullivan. Replacements: E Elwoof for Hewitt, half-time, M Lacey for carter, 53 mins. Yellow card: M Swift, 29 mins.
Referee: Andy Ireland (Scotland)
