Connacht won their fourth GUINNESS PRO12 game of the season tonight with a tight 9-6 victory away to bottom side Benetton Treviso.
It was a nervy finish for Pat Lam’s charges at the Stadio di Monigo but the visitors’ defence held firm to seal the result and bring another four points home.
Inside centre Craig Ronaldson kicked three penalties from five attempts for Connacht, while New Zealand-born full-back Hayden Wayward landed two of his own for the hosts.
Having let a lead slip at home to Cardiff Blues last Friday, the westerners dug deep to avoid a repeat result with hard-working full-back Darragh Leader acknowledged as the man-of-the-match.
Wearing their blue and white away kit, Connacht fell behind to a sixth minute penalty from Wayward whose side had failed to pick up a single league point from the opening five rounds.
Ronaldson, the former Lansdowne ace, missed his first shot at the posts but levelled in the 17th minute as Connacht began to make use of their lion’s share of possession.
Lam’s side had been making decent headway when prop Rodney Ah You dropped a pass at a crucial juncture and two penalties relieved the pressure on the Treviso rearguard.
In response, the Italians threatened on their first visit to the Connacht 22 and scrum half Kieran Marmion had to use his pace to cover a kick that he reached just inches ahead of Michele Campagnaro, past the right corner flag.
Four minutes later, Ronaldson left-footed his second successful penalty following a well-judged touchfinder from Jack Carty (pictured above) and good work at the breakdown from the Connacht forwards.
Treviso turned the tables, approaching half-time, by forcing their own ruck penalty and Hayward was successful with the resulting kick to make it 6-6 at the interval.
They might have taken a late lead as Hayward surged through midfield as he pressed for a try, but Leader stood up to the task with a crucial challenge on his opposite number and then a follow-up tackle on big lock Corniel van Zyl.
There seemed to be a momentum shift in the third quarter as Connacht were turned over in the scrum – an area that has been very profitable for them in recent weeks – and Treviso gained ground with successive penalties.
The westerners were pinged for going in at the side of a ruck but Hayward was off target from the kicking tee, with the sides still on level terms.
Leader then provided some much-needed attacking spark with a swift break into the Treviso half. However, after linking with Marmion and replacement hooker David Heffernan, the move eventually broke down.
An off-the-ball scuffle between Marmion and Treviso out-half Sam Christie saw the pair sin-binned on the hour mark.
Connacht seemed to react better and some fresh legs up front saw them push forward in search of an elusive score. Willie Faloon came on for George Naoupu with Eoin McKeon moving to number 8, while Aly Muldowney and Ronan Loughney also made their presence felt in an advancing pack.
Treviso coughed up a penalty in midfield with 13 minutes left, as a strong Connacht maul forced them to infringe. Ronaldson stepped up to split the posts with what proved to be the match-winning kick.
The Connacht centre missed his final kick of the night shortly afterwards when Treviso were guilty of going off their feet, and the home side responded with a late flurry of attacks.
Connacht ended the game with replacement David McSharry on in the centre and Robbie Henshaw reverting to full-back and it was certainly all hands to the pump in defence.
Lam’s youngsters had to show impressive composure as they defended in their 22 and tried to avoid leaking a late penalty or try, with back rower McKeon doing well to deny hooker Davide Giazzon.
A turnover near their line led to Carty kicking clear and they then disrupted the Treviso lineout to steal back possession and confirm their narrow win.
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