TWO sin-bins at the end of the first half saw the Dragons Premiership Select throw away a 13-point lead to lose away at London Scottish.

Despite Dorian Jones controlling the game for the first half and tries by Cross Keys openside Scott Matthews and Newport outside centre Chay Smith, the Dragons high penalty count against a resurgent Scottish in the second-half cost them dearly in a British and Irish Cup game they looked set to win.

Dragons took an early lead on the fourth minute, with a lineout 10 metres from the Scottish try line leading to a break by flyhalf Dorian Jones before he left it to openside Scott Matthews to barrel over two Scottish defenders for the try.

The Dragons spent the first half an hour probing the Scottish try-line without the execution to grab another try, wing Rio Dyer unable to get on the end of a kick-chase by fullback Josh Prosser on the 28th minute.

Instead they had to rely on the boot of Jones, who playing in the pocket didn’t disappoint as he controlled the play neatly and grabbed two penalty kicks.

The Dragons crucially unraveled in the final minutes of the first half, with two sin-bins to young winger Rio Dyer for a tackle in the air on opposite number Alec Coombes.

Then two minutes later Scottish’s driving maul went forward thirty metres and was only stopped from scoring by experienced loosehead Phil Price trying to stop it from going in at the side, and receiving a yellow card for his troubles.

After half-time the Exiles finally took advantage of the two sin-bins with two tries in four minutes to take the lead, Derrick Appiah going over after linking up with centre Fraser Lyle on the 43rd before a catch-drive fell to prop Dino Waldren to score on the 47th minute.

The scratch Dragons side retook the lead just before the hour mark, with a neat grubber from scrum-half Charlie Davies falling into the hands of Chay Smith to score by the posts.

But a penalty kick scored by Scottish’s Basil Strang in the 66th minute after he had previously missed three put the Exiles ahead.

Scottish made their advantage at the set-piece count and through a catch-drive finished of by replacement hooker Daniel George, sealing London Scottish the win on the 76th minute and leaving the Dragons to come away with just a losing bonus-point.

Scottish: Ingall, Coombes (JL Smith), Neal, Lyle, Stevenson, Strang, Hoadley (Barton); Appiah (Onyeama Christie), Austin (George), Waldren (G Smith), Baillie (Uanivi 40), Gillanders, Walker, Marley (Berry), Eliet.

Dragons: Prosser (Goodchild), Fricker, C Smith, Nightingale, Dyer, D Jones, Davies (Leadbetter); Price (Lavender), Shipp (Rees), Bale (Harris), Andrews (Skinner), Randall, Roach, Matthews, Sheekey

Scottish tries: Stevenson, Appiah, Waldren, George

Conversions: Strang (2)

Penalties: Strang

Dragons tries: Matthews, C Smith

Conversions: D Jones (2)

Penalties: D Jones (2)

Referee: Rob O’Sullivan

Attendance: 808

Argus star man: Dorian Jones