NEWPORT Gwent Dragons will play in the semi-finals of the European Rugby Challenge Cup after clinging on for victory in a topsy-turvy derby clash with Cardiff Blues.

The Dragons had to withstand a late charge by the men from the capital at Rodney Parade and ended the game just five metres shy of their own line.

But they held on for a deserved 25-21 victory that means they will travel to the winners of tomorrow’s game between London Irish and Edinburgh.

The Dragons, who had to play with James Thomas as a makeshift lock in the first half and his fellow flanker Nick Crosswell there in the second half, showed oodles of character to fight back from 14-3 down and to then stand firm when the nerves were jangling.

At times they showed their inexperience to fail to kill the game off but no Dragons, players or supporters, will care a jot now that they have knocked their fiercest rivals out of the cup.

There were some huge performances - flanker James Benjamin, Crosswell, scrum-half Jonathan Evans - yet they had to do it the hard way.

The Dragons made a nightmare start and were under the pump from the off after Jason Tovey’s clearance was charged down and, following a neat grubber through, scrum-half Jonathan Evans was forced to concede a five-metre scrum.

Number eight Josh Navidi and wing Alex Cuthbert were stopped just short but scrum-half Lloyd Williams sniped over for a try that Gareth Anscombe converted.

Tom Prydie settled Dragons nerves with a penalty but the worrying start continued when lock Andrew Coombs was injured at a 12th-minute lineout.

While it may have led to the early introduction of Wales and Lions back forward Taulupe Faletau, who was mystifyingly not a starter, it did mean the hosts would lack the aggression and snap of their first-choice lock.

The Blues, who were playing with scrum-half Tavis Knoyle as a makeshift centre, were looking much sharper than their hosts with Cuthbert to the fore.

And they got their reward with 26 minutes gone when Anscombe stepped off his left and went past opposite number Dorian Jones far too easily for a try that he converted.

At 14-3 it was essential that the Dragons struck next – and they did with 35 minutes on the clock.

Anscombe was harassed into an error that gave the hosts a lineout just outside the 22 and Jonathan Evans peeled off a driving lineout to find Hallam Amos, who cut a glorious line to go under the sticks.

The try was awarded after English referee JP Doyle checked that there was no blocking by centre Jack Dixon and Prydie converted.

The wing failed with a long-range penalty with the last kick of the half but the Dragons would have taken 14-10 at the break given the way that they had started.

Both sides then suffered blows with Wales loosehead Gethin Jenkins, who had been superb at the breakdown in the first half, forced off by a leg injury and then James Thomas, who had moved from flanker to lock when Coombs was helped off, was knocked out attempting to tackle Navidi from the kick-off.

The second of those injuries saw openside Nic Cudd enter the fray – and he was swiftly over the whitewash to give the Dragons the lead.

Jason Tovey found a cracking touch with a penalty and a driving lineout got to within yards of the Cardiff Blues line. They hammered away and eventually it was the diminutive flanker that reached over.

Prydie’s conversion from the right smacked against the left post and the Dragons had to be content with a 15-14 lead... but they were soon eight points in front and a man to the good.

The visitors repelled a driving lineout to earn a scrum but were then destroyed at the resulting set piece, forcing Navidi to scramble.

That enabled Jonathan Evans to charge down Lloyd Williams’ clearance and he then tackled the Dragons scrum-half without the ball, a decision that led to a yellow card as well as seven points.

The hosts had Cardiff Blues there for the taking but little errors – another missed Prydie kick, forward passes – meant the game wasn’t put to bed as the game entered the final quarter and it returned to 15-a-side.

Dorian Jones took over with the tee and made it 25-14 with 12 minutes left but back came the visitors, turning down shots at goal to try and barge their way over from the lineout only for replacement hooker Kristian Dacey to fluff his lines.

However, they ensured it would be a nervy finale when a series of scrums five metres out ended with Navidi barging over, Anscombe’s conversion making it 25-21.

The visitors then marched into enemy territory and got to within five metres of the line before Mr Doyle awarded a penalty to spark jubilant scenes.

Newport Gwent Dragons: J Tovey, T Prydie, P Leach (T Morgan 62), J Dixon, H Amos, D Jones, J Evans, P Price (D Way 73), R Thomas (captain, H Gustafson 74), B Harris, A Coombs (T Faletau 11), C Hill, J Thomas (N Cudd 41), J Benjamin, N Crosswell.

Scorers: tries – H Amos, N Cudd, penalty; conversions – T Prydie (2); penalties – T Prydie, D Jones

Cardiff Blues: D Fish, A Cuthbert, G Evans, T Knoyle, R Smith, G Anscombe, L Williams, G Jenkins (S Hobbs 40), M Rees (captain, K Dacey 52), S Andrews (A Jones 57), J Hoeata (M Cook 52), L Reed, J Turnbull (E Jenkins 71), S Warburton, J Navidi.

Scorers: tries – L Williams, G Anscombe, J Navidi; conversions – G Anscombe (3)

Yellow card: L Williams

Referee: JP Doyle (England)

Attendance: 8,119

Star man: Nick Crosswell