European Challenge Cup: Dragons 21-27 Pau - Hosts denied in dramatic finale

Dragons and Pau players involved in a first-half tussle

Dragons are still searching for a first Challenge Cup victory this season after Pau clinched victory at Rodney Parade.

Wales hooker Bradley Roberts scored two tries and fly-half Sam Davies added three penalties.

Pau responded with tries from wing Thomas Carol, Elliot Roudil and Eoghan Barrett.

Replacement Dragons centre Max Clark had a late try disallowed after he was deemed to be short of the Pau line by the television match official.

Dragons had opened the tournament with a 31-31 draw against Lions, while Pau had lost to Cheetahs.

Pau were without head coach Sebastien Piqueronies who has been suspended for 10 weeks after being found guilty of using threatening words and actions towards Scottish referee Sam Grove-White.

Piqueronies was cited following the incident, which happened after the conclusion of the French club's defeat against the Cheetahs last Saturday.

He was reported for allegedly physically abusing Grove-White, but found guilty of the less serious offence of using threatening words and actions by an independent disciplinary committee.

Dragons, who were missing injured Wales locks Ben Carter and Will Rowlands, made two changes with Rio Dyer and Aaron Wainwright starting and Ross Moriarty dropping to the replacements bench.

Davies and Clovis Lebail exchanged early penalties, while Pau wing Barrett was denied a try after being adjudged offside when collecting a kick.

Davies slotted over two more penalties before hooker Roberts drove over for the opening try to reward patient pressure from the hosts.

Bradley Roberts has played three internationals for Wales

Pau responded as they benefited from poor Dragons defence with Barrett starting the move which resulted in a try for fellow wing Carol.

Scrum-half Lebail converted and slotted over a penalty to reduce the half-time deficit to one point.

Replacement centre Roudil crawled over for Pau's second try early in the second half.

Dragons responded almost immediately with Roberts grabbing his second score after being driven over from a rolling maul. JJ Hanrahan's conversion enabling the home side to regain the lead.

That proved short-lived as Barrett finally gained his reward as he collected a chip kick to cross the Dragons line.

Dragons brought on teenage forward Ryan Woodman for his debut as they searched for victory.

Replacement Sacha Zegueur was shown a yellow card for Pau's persistent offending before Clark looked to have crashed over under the visitors' posts.

Referee Jack Makepeace initially awarded the try on the field before it was referred to television match official Steve Leyshon with the score ruled out.

From the resulting scrum, Dragons centre Sio Tomkinson dropped the ball with the Pau line at his mercy and the French side held on for a dramatic victory.

Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan: "I am disappointed, we were not good enough tonight and probably did not deserve to win.

"The correct outcome usually happens in rugby and that has happened here.

"The referee made the decision late in the game there is no clear grounding, so we can live with the decision. We just have to be better."

Dragons: J Williams; Dyer, Tomkinson, Dixon, Hewitt; S Davies, R Williams; R Jones, Roberts, Coleman, J Davies, Screech, Lonsdale, Keddie (capt), Wainwright.

Replacements: Coghlan, R Evans, Fairbrother, Woodman, Moriarty, L Jones, Hanrahan, Clark.

Pau: Colombet; Carol, Decron, Vatubua, Barrett; Debaes, Lebail; Seneca, Delhommel, Corato, Auradou, Maximin, Puech (capt), Hamonou, Liufau.

Replacements: Ruffenach, Fisiihoi, Van Dyk, Metz, Zegueur, D Robson, Roudil, Arfeuil.

Referee: Jack Makepeace (England)

Assistant referees: Charlie Gayther & Phil Watters (England)

TMO: Steve Leyshon (England)