Scarlets hold on in Cardiff despite two yellow cards

MATCH REPORT: Scarlets produced a stunning defensive display to claim their first United Rugby Championship win of the season by beating Cardiff 25-19 in the capital.

Gareth Davies scored two tries at the Arms Park for the second successive season as Scarlets secured a fifth straight win at that venue.

A pair of Ioan Lloyd penalties handed Scarlets an early 6-0 lead but Harri Millard’s converted score saw Cardiff edge ahead in a scrappy opening.

Davies bagged a brace of tries either side of Millard’s second before Johnny Williams went over for Scarlets.

Cardiff were awarded a penalty try but failed to take advantage of Scarlets having 13 players for nearly 10 minutes as the visitors bravely held on.

Scarlets, triumphant on their travels just once since last December, went ahead in the eighth minute through a penalty from Lloyd.

The visitors were then reduced to 14 players shortly afterwards after referee Craig Evans yellow-carded Sam Lousi for a croc-roll on Efan Daniel, but extended their lead with another penalty from Lloyd.

Cardiff moved ahead in the 22nd minute when Millard went in under the posts after a fantastic offload by Dan Thomas, with Tinus de Beer adding the extras.

Scarlets responded with a try of their own 10 minutes later, Davies pouncing after Lloyd and Marnus van der Merwe had driven their team to within a few metres of the line.

Lloyd missed the conversion to end his 100 per cent record from the tee this season at the eighth attempt.

Millard claimed his second try of the game with the clock in the red, diving over in the corner after prolonged pressure from Cardiff, although Callum Sheedy missed his kick.

Scarlets went back in front six minutes into the second half with Davies going over for his second try after a fine run from Lloyd, who added the extras to put his side 18-12 ahead.

A third try came the way of the visitors on the hour when Williams ran through under the posts, with Lloyd making no mistake with the conversion.

But two yellow cards in as many minutes for Scarlets looked to have turned the game on its head.

Tom Rogers was sin-binned for a deliberate knock on and Cardiff immediately took advantage as they were awarded a penalty try, which saw Josh Macleod also forced to sit out for 10 minutes.

Blair Murray produced a stunning try-saving tackle on Gabe Hamer-Webb as Scarlets held on.

The scorers

For Cardiff
Tries: Millard 2, Penalty try
Cons: De Beer, a penalty try does not require a conversion

For Scarlets
Tries: Davies 2, Williams
Cons: Lloyd 2
Pens: Lloyd 2

Yellow cards: Tom Rogers (Scarlets, 64), Sam Wainwright (Scarlets, 66)

Teams:

Cardiff: 15 Cam Winnett, 14 Mason Grady, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Ben Thomas (captain), 11 Harri Millard, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Ellis Bevan, 8 Dan Thomas, 8 Alun Lawrence, 6 Ben Donnell, 5 Teddy Williams, 4 Josh McNally, 3 Keiron Assiratti, 2 Efan Daniel, 1 Ed Byrne.
Replacements: 16 Daf Hughes, 17 Danny Southworth, 18 Rhys Litterick, 19 Mackenzie Martin, 20 James Botham, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Callum Sheedy, 23 Gabriel Hamer-Webb.

Scarlets: 15 Ioan Nicholas, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Johnny Williams, 12 Eddie James, 11 Blair Murray, 10 Ioan Lloyd, 9 Gareth Davies, 8 Taine Plumtree, 7 Dan Davis, 6 Josh Macleod (captain), 5 Max Douglas, 4 Sam Lousi, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Marnus van der Merwe, 1 Kemsley Mathias.
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Sam Wainwright, 19 Alex Craig, 20 Carwyn Tuipulotu, 21 Efan Jones, 22 Sam Costelow, 23 Macs Page.

Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant referees: Mike English (Wales), Amber Stamp-Dunstan (Wales)
TMO: Keith David (Wales)