Scarlets 17
Connacht 8
Tim Lewis reports from Parc y Scarlets
LIAM WILLIAMS SCORED two tries to pile more pressure on defending champions Connacht.
The Wales international scored a try in each half to secure the Scarlets’ first win of the season and leave Pat Lam’s men rock bottom of the Pro 12, still chasing their first points of the season.
The Westerners had looked like they could grab a much-needed win after shading a tight first half but Williams’ second try proved to be the difference between the two sides.
The struggling Scarlets endured a nightmare opening to the contest as full-back Aled Thomas missed three straightforward penalties inside the opening quarter of an hour.
It allowed Connacht to strike first on the scoreboard, wing Niyi Adeolokun going over in the corner after good hands by hooker Tom McCartney.
Out-half Jack Carty then missed a penalty to extend their lead and the Scarlets hit back with their first try.
Wales international Liam Williams produced some excellent footwork to skip around two Connacht tackles and race over, with Rhys Patchell adding the conversions. But Carty restored Connacht’s lead right on the stroke of half-time with his first penalty of the game.
The Scarlets came out firing at the beginning of the second half and only a superb last-ditch tackle from McCartney stopped wing Steffan Evans getting the home side’s second try.
Both sides struggled to construct any attacking play in the worsening weather conditions, with mistakes littering the contest.
Williams came close to grabbing his second try just after the hour mark but was denied by another excellent tackle, this time from first-back Tiernan O’Halloran.
But the Wales international wasn’t to be denied minutes later when the Scarlets controlled a scrum and made room for Williams to go over in the corner.
Rhys Patchell added a late drop goal to make things safe for the home side.
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