Pro12: Edinburgh 20-9 Scarlets

Edinburgh's two first-half tries were enough to beat a poor Scarlets at a wet and sparsely-attended Murrayfield.

Michael Allen and Magnus Bradbury produced the scores, both of them converted by Duncan Weir.

The stand-off added two penalties to cancel out two from Rhys Patchell to give Edinburgh a 20-6 interval lead.

An awful match - rugby and officiating - brought just three more points in the second half, Patchell making it 20-9 while Edinburgh were down to 14 men.

It was dour and, all too often, dire stuff. Edinburgh will be pleased with the win - and their defence - after their poor show against Cardiff last weekend. They are not exactly rocking, but at least they are up and running.

For Scarlets, worrying times. Two defeats in a row and a performance in Edinburgh that will have their supporters fretting.

It was 6-6 when Allen scored the first try, in the 34th minute.

Edinburgh had been ponderous in possession up to that point but when Weir executed a chip over the top inside the Scarlets 22, the visitors were sloppy in dealing with it.

Full-back Liam Williams attempted to dive on it while wing Steff Evans failed to cover as Allen got on the end of it and then touched down.

It was not clear if he applied downward pressure on the ball over the try-line, but the score was awarded nonetheless. Weir banged over the conversion from wide out to make it 13-6.

A minute before the break, Jake Ball, the Scarlets second-row, was sin-binned for taking a man in the air at a line-out and in quick order, Edinburgh scored again.

A terrible kicking miscue from Patchell inside his own 22 took a kindly ricochet off an Edinburgh shin and ended up in Bradbury's hands.

Magnus Bradbury slides over to score Edinburgh's second try

The number eight galloped to the line, Weir converted and Edinburgh had a 20-6 half-time lead.

The home team lost Bradbury to the sin-bin for a tip-tackle within a minute of the re-start and as soon as Bradbury returned, Phil Burleigh was binned for a ruck offence.

The visitors could only add three points from Patchell's boot while they had a one-man advantage, although were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty try late on when Allen high-tackled Evans into touch as the wing attempted to touch down.

Edinburgh: Glenn Bryce, Michael Allen, Sasa Tofilau, Phil Burleigh, Tom Brown, Duncan Weir, Nathan Fowles, Rory Sutherland, Ross Ford, WP Nel, Ben Toolis, Grant Gilchrist (capt), Jamie Ritchie, John Hardie, Magnus Bradbury.

Replacements: Stuart McInally (for Ford, 58), Allan Dell (for Sutherland, 63), Fraser McKenzie (for Toolis, 70), Hamish Watson (for Hardie, 51), Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (for Fowles, 76), Solomoni Rasolea (for Tofilau, 55)

Not Used: K Bryce, Kinghorn.

Yellow cards: Bradbury (41), Burleigh (53)

Scarlets: Liam Williams, Hadleigh Parkes, Jonathan Davies, Scott Williams, Steff Evans, Rhys Patchell, Aled Davies; Wyn Jones, Ken Owens (capt), Werner Kruger, Jake Ball, David Bulbring, Aaron Shingler, James Davies, John Barclay.

Replacements: Ryan Elias (for Owens, 76), Luke Garrett (for W Jones, 76), Peter Edwards (for Kruger, 66), Tadhg Beirne (for Shingler, 70), Gareth Davies (for A Davies, 48), Aled Thomas (for S Williams (65).

Not Used: Macleod, D. Jones.

Yellow card: Ball (38).

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)

Attendance: 2,650