Cai Evans grabbed the crucial bonus point try as Dragons secured an impressive 35-14 victory over Zebre Parma in the BKT United Rugby Championship in Newport.
Wide men David Richards and Anzelo Tuitavuki scored first half tries as the Men of Gwent wrestled control of the Halloween clash with a professional opening 40 minutes on home soil.
Zebre's only victory at Rodney Parade in ten visits was in November 2019 and player of the match Fine Inisi looked set to ensure the wait would continue with a third score.
Evans grabbed the bonus point try – and his first in the URC - to a thumping ovation and a penalty try with the final play added late gloss on a night when Harrison Keddie celebrated his 150th game and Rodrigo Martinez his 50th in some style. D
ragons went into the game with a lengthy absentee list with five players away with Wales and a further 12 on the sidelines. The late withdrawal of centre Fetuli Paea only added to a revamped line-up.
The home side, though, started positively with Rhodri Williams kicking in behind and David Richards was just snagged on the short.
However, the wing did not have to wait long as patient play by the forwards from a driving lineout the ball was switched inside for Richards to cut back and score. Tinus de Beer added the extras.
Zebre had scored plenty of tries in the opening weeks of the season and looked to show an potent attacking threat in response, as the forwards carried and a cross-field kick just evaded Simone Gesi.
A big home shunt on the first scrum of the game won a penalty and the returning O’Brien pumped the ball up field as Dragons looked to play in the right areas.
A Matthew Screech charge down kept the Italians pinned back while Barny Langton-Cryer delivered a big tackle to keep Zebre on the back foot.
Milestone man Keddie, Chris Coleman and Evan Minto all carried strongly to earn another penalty with just over ten minutes of the half left.
And a clever lineout move saw Minto feed Tuitavuki to race over for his fifth try of the season - and keep his brilliant record of scoring in every game at Rodney Parade this term alive.
The Italians looked to mount a comeback before the break and turned to the driving maul, such a potent weapon in the URC, but the home side held firm and the man up over the line.
Zebre came out looking to firing at the start of the second period but Dragons intelligently swarmed to hold men up and turn over possession.
The momentum appeared with Zebre in the third quarter as a brilliant turnover from Shane Lewis-Hughes looked to stem the flow of pressure.
However, Zebre were reduced to 14 men when Gesi was yellow carded for a deliberate knock on as Dragons looked to put width on the play.
The home side made the extra man count immediately counted as a slick move and pass from Westwood sent Inisi untouched under the posts.
The changes continued as Scarfe replaced the hard-working Minto before Owain James and Morgan Lloyd were introduced for the final quarter.
Zebre knew they had to score next to mount any kind of fightback and they turned up the heat before Matteo Canali burrowed over from close range.
The bonus point, though, was secured with eight minutes left as a clever grubber kick from Lloyd resulted in Evans touching down to a thunderous ovation.
Zebre replacement Tobias Wade scored one of his own with three minutes left, but the final word went to home pack as a huge driving maul powered over for a penalty try with the final play.
Timeline:
06m Richards t De Beer c 7-0
28m Tuitavuki t De Beer c 14-0
55m Inisi t De Beer c 21-0
64m Canali t Da Re c 21-7
72m Evans t De Beer c 28-7
78m Wade t Da Re c 28-14
80m Penalty t 35-14
Dragons RFC: Angus O’Brien (Evans 68), David Richards, Fine Inisi, Joe Westwood, Anzelo Tuitavuki (Leary 68), Tinus de Beer, Rhodri Williams (Lloyd 60); Jordan Morris (Martinez 56), Elliot Dee (Coghlan 56), Chris Coleman (James 60), Barny Langton-Cryer, Matthew Screech (Thomas 50), Shane Lewis-Hughes, Evan Minto (Scarfe 58), Harrison Keddie
Replacements: Brodie Coghlan, Rodrigo Martinez, Owain James, Nick Thomas, Sam Scarfe, Morgan Lloyd, Cai Evans, Brogan Leary
Zebre Parma: Giovanni Montemauri, Leonardo Sodo Migliori, Marco Zanon, Riccardo Casarin, Simone Gesi, Giacomo da Re, Thomas Dominguez, Sergio Pelliccioli, Giampietro Ribaldi, Juan Barbotti, Francesco Ruffolo, Leonard Krumov, Giacomo Ferrari, Bautista Stavile Bravin, Davide Ruggeri
Replacements: Francisco Minervino, Federico Pisani, Octavio Barbatti, Matteo Canali, Jacopo Botturi, Patricio Baronio, Jacopo Trulla, Tobias Wade
Referee: Griffin Colby (SARU)
Attendance: 4,358
