Treviso ends losing streak
The Italian side welcomed Blues to the Stadio Monigo on a run of 20 straight league defeats – stretching back to February 20, 2015, when they beat the Blues at the same venue.
Cardiff, who arrived in Italy in search of a fifth consecutive Pro12 win for the first time since 2010, were a point to the good at half time after Blaine Scully crossed over.
However, a penalty try early in the second half and a stubborn defensive display for much of the final 20 minutes secured a hard-fought 13-7 triumph.
The hosts began on the front foot, Jayden Hayward kicking in behind the Blues defence before a try-saving tackle from Dan Fish kept the scores level.
That parity was broken after nine minutes, however, when the Welshmen were caught offside and Hayward slotted the resulting penalty between the posts.
The Blues found their way into Treviso territory at last, but a pair of knock-ons halted their progress, the latter after good work from Manoa Vosawai and Kristian Dacey.
Cardiff continued to struggle with their continuity and a penalty for crossing allowed Hayward to clear his lines, before Fish picked off a Luca Morisi pass after the Italy centre picked a gap and made some promising ground.
A frustrating start got worse for the Blues when they were caught offside after 22 minutes and Hayward doubled the lead, but that was immediately followed by Cardiff's best spell yet.
Rhys Patchell sent a penalty to the corner and their forwards rumbled towards the line from the resulting line-out, Cory Allen and Rey Lee-Lo both denied agonisingly when darting for the line.
Treviso held firm but when they returned to Blues territory, Lee-Lo was in the thick of it again, a big tackle and turnover in quick succession turning the momentum back in his side's favour.
And it proved decisive as Scully capitalised on an overlap to dive in and score five minutes before half-time, Patchell converting for a 7-6 lead.
Treviso were first to threaten after the break and after the Blues were adjudged to have pulled down the scrum on their own five-metre line, referee Dudley Phillips awarded a penalty try, Hayward converting.
Cardiff failed to convert a five-metre line-out minutes later before a TMO consolation and an overturned penalty at the breakdown denied Patchell a pop at the posts.
Vosawai got his hands on the ball 15 minutes from time and piled towards the line, after a superb Ethan Lewis break, but he was held up before a string of Blues scrums ramped up the pressure.
Once again Treviso scrambled clear, only for another wave of attack to return to their 22 but there was simply no way through for the Blues.
The scorers:
For Treviso:
Try: Penalty Try
Con: Hayward
Pens: Hayward 2
For Cardiff Blues:
Try: Scully
Con: Patchell
Teams:
Treviso: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Ludovico Nitoglia, 13 Luca Morisi, 12 Alberto Sgarbi (captain), 11 Tommaso Iannone, 10 Sam Christie, 9 Alberto Lucchese, 8 Dean Budd, 7 Marco Lazzaroni, 6 Andrea De Marchi, 5 Tom Palmer, 4 Filo Paulo, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Luca Bigi, 1 Alberto De Marchi.
Replacements: 16 Federico Zani, 17 Matteo Muccignat, 18 Filippo Filippetto, 19 Jeff Montauriol, 20 Marco Barbini, 21 Chris Smylie, 22 Enrico Bacchin, 23 Angelo Esposito.
Cardiff Blues: 15 Rhys Patchell, 14 Blaine Scully, 13 Cory Allen, 12 Rey Lee-Lo, 11 Dan Fish, 10 Jarrod Evans, 9 Tavis Knoyle, 8 Manoa Vosawai, 7 Ellis Jenkins (captain), 6 Josh Navidi, 5 James Down, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 3 Salesi Ma'afu, 2 Kristian Dacey, 1 Thomas Davies.
Replacements: 16 Ethan Lewis, 17 Bradley Thyer, 18 Taufa'ao Filise, 19 Lou Reed, 20 Macauley Cook, 21 Tomos Williams, 22 Garyn Smith, 23 Aled Summerhill.
Referee: Dudley Phillips (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Filippo Bertelli (Italy), Stefano Bolzonella (Italy)
