NEWPORT Gwent Dragons have shed their tag as Wales’ worst for the first time since 2010 after beating Edinburgh 19-5 at Rodney Parade.

There may not have been a great deal to cheer in a dour, error-strewn game but the consequences of a hard-earned four points certainly bring a smile to the face.

The victory means that the Dragons can no longer be caught by Cardiff Blues, avoiding the ignominy of being fourth-ranked region for the first time since finishing above the Scarlets five years ago while it is a decade since they were looking down on their fiercest rivals from the capital.

While a ninth-place finish in the Guinness Pro12 is no reason to go wild with the celebrations, it is a small but important step for Lyn Jones’ men as they strive to change their image as whipping boys.

To an extent they have done that this season with a trip to the semi-finals of the European Rugby Challenge Cup and by recording memorable victories against Stade Francais, Newcastle, Ulster, Leinster (twice) and in the capital.

Consistency is now required and against Edinburgh they needed to stop the rot after a pair of embarrassing defeats – 45-16 to the Scots in the last four of Europe and 29-10 to the Scarlets at Judgement Day.

The Dragons had been dismantled up front by Edinburgh in the Challenge Cup loss at Murrayfield but were boosted by the inclusion of experienced loosehead Boris Stankovich after passing a late fitness test on the calf injury that had sidelined him since March.

He helped make it more of a contest up front and the whole pack had more snarl about them than they did in the Scottish capital while the defensive effort was magnificent against a side ran in six tries last month.

The hosts made a super start with Jason Tovey, starting at fly-half for the first time since January, putting in a peach of a touch-finder from a penalty.

They drove to within inches of the line and then hammered away before scrum-half Luc Jones was held up over the line. A penalty from the resulting scrum gave Tovey a simple three-pointer after four minutes.

Sadly that was as good as it got in a dreadful first half of scrappy, error-strewn rugby. There was not an attacking incident of note as the game limped towards half-time and to make matters worse the skies opened.

If ever a period summed up the game then it was when Tovey missed touch with a penalty and then seconds later pulled a simple shot at goal when full-back Tom Prydie was taken out in the air by opposite number Jack Cuthbert.

Nonetheless, the Dragons stretched into a 9-0 lead at the break thanks to a penalty by Tovey and a Prydie long-ranger with the final play of a dreadful half.

It may not have been a beautiful 40 minutes but Lyn Jones’ charges had defended superbly, competing fiercely at the breakdown and keeping scrum-half Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, their chief tormentor in the Challenge Cup semi-final loss, under wraps.

Edinburgh had the spark of the Liberal Democrats rather than the SNP while the Dragons’ error count increased rapidly in the opening stages of the second half with both Luc Jones and Tyler Morgan kicking straight into touch and Tovey missing a sitter of a drop goal in front of the sticks.

But they managed to take total command with half an hour left with a driving lineout stopped illegally by Edinburgh prop Willem Nel, leading to 10 minutes in the sin bin, before hooker Hugh Gustafson rewarded the decision to go back to the corner by hitting his man and then barging over.

Tovey converted to make it 16-0 and that looked a winning lead with the game relapsing into an error-strewn affair entering the final quarter.

The Dragons were scenting a first clean sheet since beating Mogliano 33-0 in Italy in 2012 while they hadn’t enjoyed a league shutout since 2007 when they nilled the Borders.

But the Scots played party poopers when flanker and captain Stuart McInally sneaked over from a driving lineout before Tovey had the final say with a penalty via the crossbar.

Dragons: T Prydie, A Hewitt (GR Jones 76), T Morgan, J Dixon, H Amos, J Tovey (D Jones 79), L Jones (R Rees 66), B Stankovich (P Price 61), R Thomas (captain, H Gustafson 23), B Harris (L Fairbrother 72), C Hill, R Landman, N Crosswell (J Thomas 66), N Cudd (O Griffiths 76), T Faletau.

Scorers: try – H Gustafson; conversion – J Tovey; penalties – J Tovey (3), T Prydie

Edinburgh: J Cuthbert, D Fife, S Beard, A Strauss (T Heathcote 63), T Visser, P Burleigh, S Hidalgo-Clyne (N Fowles 68), A Dickinson (R Sutherland 51), R Ford (N Cochrane 47), WP Nel, F McKenzie (A Bresler 50), B Toolis (O Atkins 51), S McInally (captain), H Watson (J Andress 54), C Du Preez.

Scorers: try – S McInally

Yellow card: WP Nel

Referee: Gary Conway (Ireland)

Attendance: 5,608

Star man: Taulupe Faletau