Late Blues for Connacht
Cardiff staged a memorable comeback at Connacht with a late Robin Sowden-Taylor try helping them to a 19-14 Magners League victory.
Last Updated: 06/03/09 11:31pm
Cardiff staged a memorable comeback at Connacht as a late Robin Sowden-Taylor try helped them to a 19-14 Magners League victory.
Connacht were 14-0 up at half-time but let their advantage slip for the second time in as many games - having led the Scarlets 14-3 in their last match before similarly capitulating.
A try from Samoan flanker Ray Ofisa and three penalty goals from Ian Keatley saw Connacht cruising.
The Blues lost hooker Rhys Thomas to the sin-bin just before the break but they then got back in touch thanks to two penalties from Ben Blair.
The New Zealander then notched a third but Connacht regained the initiative in the final quarter and looked set to end the game in the ascendant.
But a lapse in defence two minutes from time led to a 35-metre break from the Blues that was finished off by Welsh international Sowden-Taylor.
Blair added the conversion to edge the Blues ahead for the first time and also booted an injury-time penalty.
Headway
Dai Young's men may have been minus eight international players but they nevertheless made some early headway.
However, the hosts soon relieved the pressure and Keatley popped over his opening penalty after 13 minutes.
Keith Matthews, who signed a three-year contract extension with Connacht this week, was the pick of the home backs as they began to assert.
Cardiff were caught napping on 22 minutes as Connacht took a quick tap penalty and good hands out wide from Andrew Browne found Ofisa on the overlap.
Keatley missed the extras but he was nevertheless successful with two penalty attempts before half-time.
Cardiff survived the loss of Thomas as Connacht began the second period tentatively.
Blair punished two early indiscretions - Connacht scrum half Frank Murphy was at fault for the second - to close the gap to 14-6.
And although Blair kicked the Blues to within five points, Connacht's discipline improved for the closing 20 minutes.
With Ireland flanker Johnny O'Connor returning from injury, Michael Bradley's side looked capable of holding on to score their first win in four games.
However, Sowden-Taylor and Blair combined in the dying moments to deny Connacht and instead notch Cardiff's fourth straight win in all competitions.
