Connacht claimed back-to-back away league victories for the first time in nine years as they defeated the Dragons to move up to seventh place in the RaboDirect PRO12.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS 8 CONNACHT 24
Pat Lam’s men followed up on their recent win in Parma with captain and man-of-the-match John Muldoon leading by example with two tries at Rodney Parade.
In a forwards-dominated encounter, influential prop Rodney Ah You and the province’s most-capped player, Michael Swift, also touched down.
The hosts seized the lead in the second minute thanks to a penalty – awarded for a ruck infringement – from their number 10 Jason Tovey. Tom Prydie sent a long range attempt wide four minutes later.
The Connacht pack won a five-metre scrum against the head in the 17th minute, driving their Dragons counterparts back over the try-line for flanker Muldoon to touch down.
Out-half Dan Parks converted and also added the extras to Ah You’s 23rd-minute effort which came from a well-executed maul from a Michael Kearney-won lineout, after Dragons lock Rob Sidoli had been sin-binned.
The Dragons management called their starting front row ashore after just 29 minutes, such was the set piece pressure exerted by the Connacht trio of Denis Buckley, Jason Harris-Wright and Ah You.
The province’s lineout was also a key factor in their positive first half display, with Aly Muldowney, Kearney and Eoin McKeon jumping well to gather Harris-Wright’s throws and also trouble the Dragons on their own ball.
Connacht defended smartly and held onto their 14-3 interval lead as the Welsh region, who brought on international star Toby Faletau, were unable to turn pressure into points in the third quarter.
Dominating possession and territory, they had a real chance with a penalty kick to the corner on 52 minutes but the Connacht defence forced a turnover following a lineout and Parks kicked to touch to relieve the pressure.
Tovey missed a penalty before the Connacht scrum forced a penalty on halfway and Parks kicked to touch to set up another lineout drive.
Muldoon duly profited from another leg-pumping maul to dive over in the right corner in the 67th minute. It has been a superb couple of weeks for the Ireland international with four try in two games.
The Dragons then took advantage of Darragh Leader’s sin-binning, with their backs stringing passes together in the 22 for right winger Prydie to score an unconverted try with 11 minutes left. Tovey missed the difficult conversion from the right.
Connacht scrum half Kieran Marmion answered back with the break of the game, running to within metres of the hosts’ try-line. However, the Dragons eventually got back to force a knock-on and prevent the try.
It was left to replacement lock Swift to have the final say in the 79th minute after Parks’ replacement Miah Nikora kicked a penalty into the left corner. Once more, Connacht’s dominant maul did the business.
David Heffernan and fellow replacement Andrew Browne combined to good effect in the lineout and following a strong collective drive, Swift plunged over the line to seal the province’s third successive bonus point victory.
The conversion was missed by out-half Nikora, but it did not matter as the visitors had secured the maximum five points on offer.
The resurgent westerners have now won four league games on the trot – the last time they achieved this feat was back in September 2002. Of their current haul of 32 league points, 19 of them have been won in the last four rounds.
They visit the sixth-placed Scarlets next Sunday afternoon, with the Llanelli side now just four points ahead of them in the table.
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