Scarlets 17 Connacht 8
Connacht’s miserable start to the season continued in Wales last season when they failed to take even a bonus point from fellow strugglers Scarlets on Saturday night.
The home side prevailed courtesy of a dominant second half, helped in no small measure by the scoring prowess of Welsh international Liam Williams, leaving Pat Lam's men rooted to the bottom of the table after a record third successive defeat at the start of the Pro 12 season.
It had been a promising opening half for the visitors to Parc Y Scarlets and they held a slender 7-8 lead, courtesy of a try from Niyi Adeolokun and a late Jack Carty penalty.
Although Connacht lacked the attacking finishing of last year - made difficult for both sides by the constant rain - they certainly displayed an improved work rate, but fell foul of referee George Clancy at the breakdown.
However Scarlets fullback Aled Thomas was unable to take advantage, missing three kicks at goal inside the opening 16 minutes.
Pat Lam's players looked considerably sharper in attack, and scrumhalf Kieran Marmion and Bundee Aki combined to break holes in the Scarlet defence, but it was Adeolokun who not only grabbed the opening try, but was instrumental in the build-up.
Chasing his hack ahead against the run of play, he forced a five metre scrum from which Connacht capitalised with front rowers Denis Buckley and Tom McCartney providing the assist for the right winger to score in the corner.
Outhalf Jack Carty missed the touchline conversion, and within five minutes the home side had responded. It came from a lost Connacht line out in their own half, and the Scarlets, on the front foot, finished with Williams skipping inside Marmion for the their first try aft 35 minutes. Outhalf Rhys Patchell added the conversion. However from the restart Connacht edged back in front with a Jack Carty penalty after 38 minutes.
Second half aerial pingpong did Connacht no favours, and a second turnover at the line-out, handed the initiative right back into the hosts’ hands. Superb last-ditch tackling kept Scarlets out, who were dominating the possession and territory stakes, preventing Connacht from producing any scoring platform of their own.
O’Halloran halted Liam Williams just shy of the line, but the pressure remained on Connacht as impact replacement Scott Williams was held up over the line. Finally, from another five-metre scrum, scrumhalf Aled Davies opted for the blind side and Liam Williams made no mistake, sliding in and pushing Scarlets into the lead. Patchell added the extras for a 14-8 lead after 66 minutes.
As Connacht ran out of steam, the Scarlets finished off the game with a Patchell drop a goal, heaping more misery on the defending champions.
Connacht: T O'Halloran, N Adeolokun, B Aki, E Griffin, M Healy, J Carty, K Marmion, D Buckley, T McCartney, F Bealham, Q Roux, U Dillane, E McKeon, J Muldoon (cpt)
Replacements: S O’Leary for Griffin (58), D Heffernan for McCartney, R Loughney for Buckley and JP Cooney for Bealham (66m). J Connolly for Heenan (71), C Kelleher fot Adeolokun (73), L Stevenson for Roux (75).
Scarlets: A Thomas, L Williams, J Davies, H Parkes, S Evans, R Patchell, A Davies, W Jones, K Owens (cpt), W Kruger, J Ball, D Bulbring, A Shingler, J Davies, J Barclay.
Replacements, S Williams for Thomas (53), M Allen for Kruger and M Allen for Barclay (both 59m), L Rawlins for Bulbring (66), R Elias for Owens, J Evans for Davies (both 75m), W Byde for Shngler (76m).
Referee: G Clancy (IRFU).
