Cardiff comeback seals bonus-point win at Scarlets

United Rugby Championship: Scarlets v Cardiff

Scarlets (15) 15

Tries: Page, Plumtree Cons: Costelow Pen: Costelow

Cardiff (12) 24

Tries: Belcher, Grady, Millard, Thomas Cons: Sheedy 2

Cardiff shook disconnected a wretched commencement to clinch a frantic derby triumph complete Scarlets successful Llanelli.

Scarlets centre Macs Page scored nan quickest effort successful nan United Rugby Championship (URC) since 2018 erstwhile he crossed seconds aft nan kick-off.

Taine Plumtree followed to put Scarlets 15-0 up aft conscionable 11 minutes.

But Liam Belcher, Mason Grady, Harri Millard and Ben Thomas deed backmost for Cardiff, who maintained their cleanable commencement to nan season.

The bonus-point victory, successful beforehand of Wales caput coach Warren Gatland, intends Cardiff subordinate Leinster astatine nan apical of nan convention table.

It had looked truthful promising for Scarlets, pinch skipper Josh Macleod backmost from a nine-month wounded and led retired by Gareth Davies connected his 250th appearance.

Just 14 seconds later, they were besides celebrating nan game's opening try.

Cardiff tried to beryllium tiny pinch nan kick-off erstwhile Callum Sheedy shaped to footwear correct but, astatine nan past second, flicked nan shot to Thomas who kicked left.

The thought was to find fastener Teddy Williams pinch a miss-match, but it backfired successful spectacular style arsenic Tom Rogers gathered and his footwear deflected disconnected Cam Winnett into nan hands of Page who had a clear run.

Scarlets past grabbed a 2nd erstwhile Sam Costelow's agelong walk recovered Plumtree waiting successful acres of space.

Cardiff looked shell-shocked, but were forced to wantonness immoderate pragmatism arsenic they threw be aware to nan upwind - and deed backmost pinch 2 tries successful 4 minutes.

Thomas produced thing from thing to group up a line-out from which hooker Belcher touched down.

Moments later, Sheedy mixed pinch Winnett for Grady to title over.

Scarlets achieved nan convention double against Cardiff past play and had won 5 of nan erstwhile six meetings.

But Cardiff took their momentum into nan 2nd half, particularly erstwhile Ryan Elias was shown a yellowish paper for striking Ben Donnell successful nan head.

Keiron Assiratti turned nan screw astatine a bid of 4 scrums successful beforehand of nan posts that ended pinch Alec Hepburn, connected his debut, joining Elias successful nan misdeed bin.

Millard's effort successful nan area was almost inevitable, but Costelow missed a chance to put 13-man Scarlets backmost successful beforehand erstwhile he fired a straight-forward punishment wide.

Belcher was nan 3rd subordinate shown yellow, for a precocious tackle, but Cardiff rode retired nan time.

Alex Craig was outstanding for Scarlets, but they became scrappy successful their desperation.

And erstwhile Costelow missed a 2nd punishment successful nan last minute, they moreover missed retired connected a losing prize point.

Scarlets: Ioan Lloyd; Tom Rogers, Macs Page, Johnny Williams, Blair Murray; Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies; Kemsley Mathias, Ryan Elias, Henry Thomas, Alex Craig, Max Douglas, Jarrod Taylor, Josh Macleod (capt), Taine Plumtree.

Replacements: Marnus van der Merwe, Alec Hepburn, Sam Wainwright, Jac Price, Dan Davis, Efan Jones, Eddie James, Ellis Mee.

Sin bins: Elias (51), Hepburn (55)

Cardiff: Cam Winnett; Mason Grady, Rey Lee-Lo, Ben Thomas, Iwan Stephens; Callum Sheedy, Aled Davies; Corey Domachowski, Liam Belcher (capt), Keiron Assiratti, Josh McNally, Teddy Williams, Ben Donnell, Dan Thomas, Alun Lawrence.

Replacements: Evan Lloyd, Ed Byrne, Rhys Litterick, Rory Thornton, Mackenzie Martin, Ellis Bevan, Tinus de Beer, Harri Millard.

Sin bin: Belcher (60)

Referee: Christopher Allison (SARU)

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

TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU).