Priestland provides for the Scarlets

Six penalties from stand-in flyhalf Rhys Priestland was enough to help an in-form Scarlets side secure an important 18-3 victory over the Gwent-Newport Dragons on Friday night in Wales.

A predictably tight encounter, neither side was able to every really wrap up a complete try scoring move with both defences being solid on the night.

With Lions flyhalf Stephen Jones ruled out before the match, Priestland stepped in to provide the points for the home side.

The win is only the Scarlets' second of the domestic campaign but comes off the back of two very good performances by the Welsh region in the Heineken Cup.

Leading just 6-3 at the interval, the home side were quickly out to a nine point lead in the second period and never looked back.

There task was made somewhat harder with 12 minutes left as replacement hooker Ken Owens was yellow carded but they still had enough in them to hold on for the victory over their Welsh rivals.

The Scorers

For Scarlets

Pen: Priestland 6

For Dragons

Pen: Arlidge

The teams:

Scarlets: 15 Daniel Evans, 14 Lee Williams, 13 Sean Lamont, 12 Rob Higgitt, 11 Mark Jones, 10 Stephen Jones, 9 Martin Roberts, 8 David Lyons, 7 Dafydd Jones, 6 Simon Easterby, 5 Dominic Day, 4 Lou Reed, 3 Deacon Manu, 2 Matthew Rees, 1 Iestyn Thomas
Replacements: 16 Phil John, 17 Ken Owens, 18 Vernon Cooper, 19 Richie Pugh, 20 Tavis Knoyle, 21 Rhys Priestland, 22 Gareth Maule.

Dragons: 15 Martyn Thomas, 14 Aled Brew, 13 Tom Riley, 12 Ashley Smith, 11 Richard Fussell, 10 James Arlidge, 9 Wayne Evans, 8 Hoani MacDonald, 7 Gavin Thomas, 6 Danny Lydiate, 5 Luke Charteris, 4 Robert Sidoli, 3 Peter Bracken, 2 Tom Willis, 1 Hugh Gustafson
Replacements: 16 Steve Jones, 17 Gethin Robinson, 18 Adam Jones, 19 Lewis Evans, 20 Jason Tovey, 21 Matthew Watkins, 22 Danny Lee.

Referee: Peter Allen (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Jon Mason (Wales), Simon Harris (Wales)
TMO: Hugh Watkins (Wales)