WITH an hour on the clock the Dragons had the lead and hopes of ending their Guinness PRO14 derby losing streak. When the final whistle went it was Cardiff Blues celebrating and the Rodney Parade region had suffered a 22nd league loss to Welsh rivals.

Early tries by fly-half Josh Lewis and wing Jared Rosser had got the Newport crowd believing, yet in the end there could be no complaints about the result.

There was fight, spirit and more attacking verve than we have seen so far this season, but Bernard Jackman’s men didn’t even have the consolation of a losing bonus point when referee Ian Davies blew his whistle for the last time.

In Ollie Griffiths the Dragons had a stellar performer but in the second half he was at the heart of a backs-to-the-wall effort deep inside his own half.

The Blues, with Gareth Anscombe majestic, bossed possession and territory to emerge with the spoils thanks to a try in either half by impressive wing Owen Lane and another score by hooker Kristian Dacey.

The Dragons were strangled in the second half and were unable to change the momentum, therefore unable to change the derby record.

After 21 league losses to Welsh rivals on the spin, a nightmare streak going back to Boxing Day, 2014, the Dragons were desperate for a win that would make the rest of the PRO14 sit up and take notice.

It was a vital game in the reign of head coach Jackman and a success would make it a pretty good start to his second campaign, backing up home victories against Southern Kings and Zebre and bettering his tally of league wins from last season in the first block of league fixtures.

They failed to achieve that and the Dragons supporters quietly made their way to the exits at the final whistle, content with the fight their team had shown but knowing that their side are still some way short of where they need to be.

The Blues set the tone early by competing ferociously at the breakdown but it was the Dragons that had first chance to strike after visiting lock George Earle went flying off his feet.

Fly-half Lewis sacrificed accuracy for distance and his effort from halfway drifted wide yet the hosts, with the wind at their backs, kept pressing.

Another penalty was kicked to the 22 and the back row of Ross Moriarty, Aaron Wainwright and Griffiths combined before locks Brandon Nansen and Cory Hill had charges at the line, the latter held up over it.

The Blues held firm from the resulting five-metre scrum but paid the price for attempting to play their way out of the 22, conceding a penalty that was booted to the corner.

Hooker Elliot Dee and centre Jarryd Sage went close and the quick ball was spread left for full-back Jordan Williams, who flicked the ball out of a fine cover tackle for fly-half Josh Lewis to go over for a 5-0 lead after 14 minutes.

It got better with a peach of a try straight from the training ground with quick lineout ball worked into midfield where centre Adam Warren burst through and produced a glorious offload to Lewis, who drew the last man for wing Jared Rosser to go racing over.

Jordan Williams took over from the tee and knocked over the conversion to make it 12-0 after a terrific first quarter.

Yet the Dragons were under pressure for the first time when their full-back dropped a routine kick, defending desperately on their line and giving away a penalty.

It was kicked to the corner and the Blues turned it over… only to run back the clearance kick and force more scrambling defence after Gareth Anscombe set wing Jason Harries free.

The Dragons were riding their luck and had another escape when the TMO deemed centre Willis Halaholo had failed to gather Lloyd Williams’ grubber through over the line.

The pressure eventually told in the 32nd minute courtesy of a wonder finish by Blues winger Owen Lane, who got back to his feet after an initial tackle to power over down the right despite the best efforts of Griffiths, Moriarty and Rosser.

Anscombe missed the conversion and the game remained intriguing poised at 12-5 at half-time.

The second half started scrappily but there was nothing wrong with the right boot of Anscombe when the Wales international boomed over a peach of a penalty after a scrum offence to cut the gap on 45 minutes.

Jackman made his pre-planned subs with half an hour left in a bid to regain the initiative, changing his front row and swapping Brandon Nansen for Huw Taylor.

The Blues were within a point when another lovely Anscombe kick, also from a scrum penalty, made it 12-11 after 55 minutes only for Williams to swiftly respond with his own sweet strike after Taylor was taken out at a lineout.

Yet the Dragons were behind on the hour when the Blues reaped the rewards of going to the corner from a penalty, hooker Kristian Dacey scoring after hitting his jumper at a nine-man lineout.

Anscombe’s conversion was wide but the visitors were in front for the first time… and soon by eight points.

The fly-half, who had moved to full-back after the arrival of Jarrod Evans, claimed a high ball superbly and raced down field.

Wing Dafydd Howells made a fine cover tackle in the 22 but the Blues stayed calm and Rey Lee-Lo spotted prop Aaron Jarvis in the line before passing to Lane, who finished smartly again.

Crucially Anscombe converted this time and the Dragons needed two scores to get their noses back in front with just 15 minutes to do it.

They didn’t get close.

Dragons: J Williams, D Howells (W Talbot-Davies 78), A Warren, J Sage, J Rosser (T Morgan 40), R Williams (T Knoyle 66), B Harris (R Bevington 49), E Dee (R Hibbard 49), L Brown (A Jarvis 49), B Nansen (H Taylor 49), C Hill (captain), A Wainwright (N Cudd 69), O Griffiths, R Moriarty.
Scorers: tries – J Lewis, J Rosser; conversion – J Williams; penalty – J Williams

Cardiff Blues: M Morgan (J Evans 53), O Lane, R Lee-Lo, W Halaholo (G Smith 73), J Harries, G Anscombe, L Williams (T Williams ), B Thyer (R Gill 53), K Dacey (K Myhill 71), D Arhip (D Lewis 53), G Earle (M Cook 45), J Turnbull, J Navidi (captain), N Williams (O Robinson 59). 
Scorers: tries – O Lane (2), K Dacey; conversion – G Anscombe; penalties – G Anscombe (2)

Referee: Ian Davies (WRU)
Attendance: 7,376
Argus star man: Ollie Griffiths