THE long wait for that elusive third win in the Guinness PRO14 continues for Bernard Jackman’s Dragons as they became the latest Welsh side to lose at Stadio di Monigo after staging a major second half comeback.

Cory Hill’s side were all at sea at the break as they after conceding four tries and trailing 26-6. But a magnificent second half fightback saw they take the lead 27026 thanks to a burst of three unanswered tries before a last gaps penalty from Tito Tebaldi clinched victory at the death for the home side.

You had to go back to November, 2016, for the last time Benetton Rugby lost to a Welsh region in the PRO14, when Cardiff Blues beat them, and having gone down to an 18-15 home defeat against the Italians in February it was always going to be an uphill task.

The size of that task grew even bigger when Benetton won a penalty in the first minute, kicked to the corner and then converted the five metre line-out into a try by tight head prop Federico Ruzza that Tommso Allan improved to make it 7-0 after only two minutes.

The Dragons weathered that early storm and cut the gap to a single point before the end of the first quarter thanks to two penalties from outside half Arwel Robson, making only his fourth league start of the season, that steadied their nerves.

The Dragons pack was unsettled with injuries to Harri Keddie and Gerard Ellis, which brought Taine Basham and Luke Garrett into the fray, and the reshuffle gave Benetton a chance to strike. They didn’t give the new players a chance to settle and struck with two tries in the space of five minutes to take firm control of proceedings.

Danger man Monty Ioane had gone close to scoring as he tried to get on the end of a neat cross kick, but the fleet footed wing did get over the line in the 23rd minute to notch his eighth try in nine PRO14 outings this season. It was also his second against the Dragons this season having scored in the win at Rodney Parade.

Worse was to follow for the visitors as Benetton turned up the pressure and got their third try of the game five minutes later through outside half Allan. This time Allan added the extras and he went on to improve a try on the stroke of half-time from the former Ospreys and Italy scrum half Tito Tebaldi that brought up the bonus point.

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Half-time couldn’t have come quick enough for Jackman and whatever he said at half-time hit the spot. The Dragons really increased the effort and the accuracy of their play in the second half and, after the home side had made a raft of changes six minutes after the break, they struck with two tries to put the game back into the melting pot.

Cory Hill drove over for the first and then Jared Rosser was worked clear to bag the second. Robson converted them both and all of a sudden the gap was only six points as the game moved into the final quarter.

The Dragons revival then reached a peak when Connor Edwards made it three tries in a 15 minute purple patch, with Robson’s third conversion steering his side into a 27-26 lead. Benetton were rattled and had to pull out all the stops to get back into it.

Replacement hooker Epalahame Faiva got up to the line, but not quite over as the drama continued, but the Dragons held their hosts tryless in the second half. It was not quite pointless, however, as a last minute penalty gave the home side the chance to kick for goal and snatch vicgory from the jaws of defeat.

Scorers: Benetton Rugby: Tries: F Ruzza, M Ioane, T Allan, T Tibaldi; Cons: T Allan 3; Pen: T Tebaldi. Dragons: Tries: C Allen, J Rosser, C Edwards; Cons: A Robson 3; Pens: A Robson 2.

Benetton Rugby: J Hayward (J-I Brex 46); L Sperandio, T Benvenuti, A Sgarbi (captain), M Ioane; T Allan (M Banks 68), T Tebaldi; F Zani (C Traore 46), T Baravalle (H Faiva 34), S Ferrari (T Pasquali 46), F Ruzza, M Lazzaroni, M Barbini, B Steyn (A Zanni 68), N Manu (S Negri 46)

Reps unused: A Zanni, T Iannone

Dragons: Z Kirchner; A Hewitt, S Beard, C Edwards, J Rosser; A Robson, O Leonard (C Davies 46); G Ellis (L Garrett 16), E Dee, L Fairbrother, C Hill (captain), R Landman (J Davies 46), H Keddie (T Basham 19), A Wainwright, L Evans

Reps unused: L Belcher, D Suter, A Warren, R Dyer

Referee: Andrew Brace (RFU)