Edinburgh 18-0 Cardiff Blues: Hosts triumph at misty Murrayfield

Play became a challenge at a misty Murrayfield

An impressive defensive display gave Edinburgh a first home Pro14 victory of the season against Cardiff Blues at a misty Murrayfield.

Debutant prop Lee-Roy Atalifo battered over to add to Nathan Chamberlain's earlier penalty and give the hosts a 10-0 lead at the break.

And as thick fog descended in the second half, Dave Cherry's score put the game beyond Blues.

Edinburgh have recorded back-to-back wins and move level with Blues.

Richard Cockerill's side sit third in Conference B, while Cardiff Blues remain second on points difference.

Ferocious Edinburgh defence

The Pro14 will be a long slog for many sides for much of the rest of the year given the prolonged autumn international period, and both sides at Murrayfield - particularly the hosts - were decimated by call-ups.

Having made a poor to the season start before their Scotland internationals even departed, Edinburgh had put themselves under a bit of early pressure, but eked out a first win against Scarlets last week.

The performance against Blues followed a similar template, emphasising the basics of defensive solidity, kicking for territory, and forward power in the 22.

Chamberlain's early penalty got them on the board, and Atalifo's debut score from close range capped a solid opening quarter, in which Blues struggled to get going.

Jason Tovey's penalty off a post summed up their first half, but they improved at the start of the second period.

Amid the descending mist at Murrayfield, wave after wave of attack came in the opening 10 minutes from Blues, but time and again they were repelled and turned over as forwards Luke Crosbie and Ally Miller led a ferocious Edinburgh defence.

And as the fog made the game increasingly difficult, Edinburgh manoeuvred themselves up the pitch and drove over the try-line to score, with Cherry the man at the back of the maul to flop over.

The score seem to knock the visitors' confidence and - but for some solid defence of their own - could have slipped further behind as Edinburgh camped in their half for half of the final quarter.

John Mulvihill's side offered a final flurry, but poor execution and stubborn Edinburgh defence meant they ended scoreless, and Chamberlain took the chance to add gloss to the scoreline in the final minute with a further penalty.

Edinburgh: Jack Blain, Eroni Sau, Mark Bennett, Chris Dean, Jamie Farndale, Nathan Chamberlain, Henry Pyrgos (capt); Pierre Schoeman, David Cherry, Lee-Roy Atalifo, Andries Ferreira, Jamie Hodgson, Magnus Bradbury, Luke Crosbie, Ally Miller.

Replacements: Mike Willemse, Sam Grahamslaw, Dan Gamble, Marshall Sykes, Connor Boyle, Nic Groom, Charlie Shiel, James Johnstone.

Cardiff Blues: Hallam Amos; Aled Summerhill, Garyn Smith, Max Llewellyn, Owen Lane; Jason Tovey, Lewis Jones; Brad Thyer, Kristian Dacey (capt), Dmitri Arhip, James Ratti, Rory Thornton, Josh Turnbull, Olly Robinson, Will Boyde

Replacements: Ethan Lewis, Corey Domachowski, Scott Andrews, Ben Murphy, Sam Moore, Jamie Hill, Ben Thomas, Matthew Morgan.

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)

Assistant Referees: Hollie Davidson and Ian Kenny (both SRU)

TMO: Sam Grove-White (SRU)