Celtic League/Connacht 19; Dragons 14: Connacht recorded their third win in a row against Welsh opposition and in the process completed an ideal build-up to next week's Parker Pen Challenge Cup clash against Montpellier.
Michael Bradley's men made hard work off killing off the Dragons' challenge in the second half but there was no doubting their superiority.
It was the first time that the Dragons have lost three Celtic League games in succession and while they were without seven internationals, they still took the field with 10 capped players.
Matt Mostyn, who scored the crucial try last week against the Ospreys, again provided the key score yesterday against his former club. The hard work was done by centre Darren Yapp who picked up a sloppy pass on halfway before tearing the Dragons' defence open with a lightning run before offloading in the tackle to Mostyn, who touched down under the posts after 10 minutes.
Paul Warwick added the easy conversion to put Connacht 7-3 up, after outhalf Craig Warlow had marked early pressure from the visitors with a third minute penalty.
Warwick added a penalty five minutes later into the wind from 35 metres as the efforts of Matt Lacey and John O'Sullivan in the loose paid dividends.
The Connacht defence held firm as the Dragons came storming back, with Warlow reducing the deficit to the minimum with penalties after 18 and 26 minutes.
The home defence was finally breached six minutes from the break when Connacht failed to clear their lines and scrumhalf Gareth Baber broke from a ruck inside the 22 on the blindside to score in the right corner.
However, Connacht responded admirably and Warwick landed a drop goal with his weaker left foot on the stroke of half-time.
Connacht dominated after the restart but struggled to find a way through the Dragons defence which held firm. Warwick missed a penalty after 51 minutes but 10 minutes later pushed them in front with a kick from 35 metres.
The former Australian sevens captain put further daylight between the sides five minutes from time with a straightforward penalty from the 22.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 3 mins: Warlow pen, 0-3; 10: Mostyn try, Warwick conversion, 7-3; 15 mins: Warwick pen, 10-3; 18: Warlow pen, 10-6; 26: Warlow pen, 10-9; 34: Baber try, 10-14; 41 mins: Warwick drop goal, 13-14. Half time: 13-14. 61: Warwick pen, 16-14; 75: Warwick pen, 19-14.
CONNACHT: M Mostyn; J Meagher, D Yapp, J Downey, C McPhillips; P Warwick, C Keane; D McFarland, J Fogarty, S Knoop; C Short, A Farley; J Muldoon, M Lacey, J O'Sullivan. Replacements: E Elwood for Meagher (54 mins); B Jackman for Fogarty (58 mins); M Swift for Muldoon (71 mins); R Hogan for McFarland (75 mins).
NEWPORT-GWENT DRAGONS: K Morgan; G Wyatt, S Tuipulotu, S Winn, N Brew; C Warlow, G Baber; R Snow, J Richards, R Thomas; I Gough, P Sidoli; J Ringer, J Forster, R Oakley. Replacements: K Crawford for Brew (57 mins); R Beattie for Gough (60 mins); S Jones for Richards (60 mins); A Black for Thomas (65 mins).
Referee: A Ireland (Scotland).
