Davies double helps Scarlets claim win in Cardiff

Scrum-half Gareth Davies has scored 54 league tries for Scarlets

United Rugby Championship: Cardiff v Scarlets

Cardiff (12) 19

Tries: Millard 2, Penalty try Con: de Beer

Scarlets (11) 25

Tries: G Davies 2, J Williams Cons: Lloyd 2 Pens: Lloyd 2

Scarlets continued their Welsh capital love affair as they defeated Cardiff for a fifth successive time at the Arms Park in the United Rugby Championship (URC).

In a pulsating derby in front of a capacity crowd of 12,125, Wales scrum-half Gareth Davies scored two tries with centre Johnny Williams also crossing.

Fly-half Ioan Lloyd kicked 10 points as Scarlets secured their first win of the season and a sixth win in eight games in Cardiff.

Scarlets celebrated victory despite their indiscipline, with wing Tom Rogers and captain Josh Macleod shown second-half yellow cards after lock Sam Lousi had been sent to the sin-bin early on.

Cardiff responded with two tries from wing Harri Millard and a penalty try but, despite their late efforts against 13 men, it was a second successive defeat for Matt Sherratt's men.

Scarlets also avenged their defeat to Cardiff in Llanelli last month.

Cagey derby start

Wales fly-half Sam Costelow was replaced by Lloyd as one of four changes to the Scarlets side that lost to Connacht.

Prop Kemsley Mathias, hooker Marnus van der Merwe and lock Alex Craig, who has been linked with a move to Glasgow, also started.

Centre Ben Thomas captained Cardiff in the absence of injured hooker Liam Belcher, with Evan Lloyd also missing.

Efan Daniel wore the hosts' number two shirt as one of four changes from the team that lost to Glasgow.

There were starts for prop Ed Byrne, and half-backs Ellis Bevan and Tinus de Beer coming in for Aled Davies and Callum Sheedy.

Cardiff ignored the chance to kick at goal early on, with De Beer missing touch with an attacking penalty.

Scarlets adopted different tactics with Lloyd opening the scoring after Macleod had forced a turnover penalty.

Lousi was shown a yellow card for an illegal clearout at a maul, while prop Henry Thomas also conceded a similar offence in the same passage of play.

Lloyd slotted over a long-range penalty to double the lead, before Cardiff secured their first points of the day with a well-worked try for wing Millard, following a clever offload from flanker Dan Thomas.

Hooker Daniel had been involved in the move but that proved to be his last contribution as he added to Cardiff's injury list in that position, limping off to be replaced by Dafydd Hughes.

Scarlets responded with a flowing try of their own with fly-half Lloyd and hooker carrying hard and scrum-half Davies finishing off the move.

Millard denied Scarlets a second score when wing Blair Murray produced a burst down the left-hand side, with his inside pass seemingly leaving number eight Taine Plumtree with the line at his mercy.

Wing Millard had other ideas with a try-saving tackle, and he then went up the other end and scored following clever passing from Thomas and full-back Cameron Winnett.

Sheedy, who had replaced the injured De Beer, missed the conversion as Cardiff led 12-11 at half-time.

Scarlets sparkle then hold on

Scarlets, playing into the wind, responded with a second try for Davies with Lousi providing a smart offload before a Lloyd break released his half-back partner.

Lloyd's conversion in front of the posts was successful - albeit off the upright - before the wind played havoc with a failed penalty attempt.

Scarlets kept up the pressure and after some smart play from Plumtree, Scarlets scored a simple midfield try with Eddie James releasing impressive co-centre Williams who cantered over.

The home crowd called for a forward pass but the officials were content.

Scarlets' discipline then let them down as referee Craig Evans showed Rogers a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on.

Captain Macleod joined Rogers in the sin-bin after collapsing a maul, which resulted in a penalty try as the visitors were reduced to 13 men.

The hosts looked to make the extra players tell, but Scarlets wing Murray produced a brilliant tackle to deny home replacement Gabriel Hamer-Webb.

Cardiff ultimately failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage and the Scarlets fans were sent home happy from the Arms Park once more.

Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt said: “Obviously it stings and hurts.

“The game was just about who took their chances and who didn’t. The 10 minutes when they were down to 13 men is when we could have scored again.

“We had a bit of sustained pressure, but we just couldn’t get over the line. The game kind of petered away from us.”

Scarlets coach Dwayne Peel said: “From a character perspective, I am really pleased.

“Defending your line with 13 men is pretty savage and we managed that period well.

“That’s three games that have gone down to the wire for us this season. We managed to stick in there this time and it was nice to get the win.”

Cardiff: Cam Winnett; Mason Grady, Rey Lee-Lo, Ben Thomas (capt), Harri Millard; Tinus de Beer, Ellis Bevan; Ed Byrne, Efan Daniel, Keiron Assiratti, Josh McNally, Teddy Williams, Ben Donnell, Dan Thomas, Alun Lawrence.

Replacements: Daf Hughes, Danny Southworth, Rhys Litterick, Mackenzie Martin, James Botham, Aled Davies, Callum Sheedy, Gabriel Hamer-Webb.

Scarlets: Ioan Nicholas; Tom Rogers, Johnny Williams, Eddie James, Blair Murray; Ioan Lloyd, Gareth Davies; Kemsley Mathias, Marnus van der Merwe, Henry Thomas, Sam Lousi, Alex Craig, Josh Macleod (capt), Dan Davis, Taine Plumtree.

Replacements: Ryan Elias, Alec Hepburn, Sam Wainwright, Jac Price, Carwyn Tuipulotu, Efan Jones, Sam Costelow, Macs Page.

Sin-bin: Lousi (12), Rogers (65), Macleod (66)

Referee: Craig Evans (WRU)

Assistant referees: Mike English & Amber Stamp-Dunstan (WRU)

TMO: Keith David (WRU).