The festive celebrations appeared very much on hold as the Scarlets trailed 13-7 to a Dragons outfit desperate for a home victory, but a second-half surge produced a sensational reversal of fortunes.

The Scarlets took control of a tight forward tussle to suffocate the sterile hosts, who have big problems as they desperately seek the winning formula.

The Dragons took an early lead through a Ceri Sweeney penalty before Scarlets skipper Dafydd James spurned a kick at goal and it paid instant dividends.

The visitors comfortably secured their own lineout throw and a well-controlled forward drive led to replacement Dafydd Jones driving over for a try, converted by Mike Hercus.

A second Sweeney penalty pegged back the Scarlets’ advantage and the Wales utility back then produced a telling thrust that was taken on by Rhys Oakley and the Dragons flanker did well to force his way over from 20 metres.

The conversion by Sweeney put the Dragons 13-7 to the good to reverse their fortunes after a sluggish spell.

A penalty by Hercus after two earlier failures trimmed the Dragons’ lead to just three points to climax a low quality, error-strewn first half.

The Scarlets were level within five minutes of the restart, but Sweeney completed a penalty hat-trick two minutes later to keep alive the Dragons’ hopes.

The erratic kicking of Hercus cost the Scarlets an easy three points when he missed a penalty from point-blank range, which they could hardly afford in such a tight affair.

But it seemed just the spur the Scarlets needed as Hercus atoned in a neat combination with Mark Jones, who sent skipper James scorching over unopposed for a brilliantly engineered touchdown.

The conversion by Hercus put the Dragons under real pressure and a third penalty by the Scarlets’ fly-half put the visitors within touching distance of a notable triumph.

An already muted Rodney Parade crowd was silenced three minutes from time when Kiwi prop Craig Dunlea stormed over for a debut try for the Scarlets within 10 minutes of coming on for Martyn Madden.

A disorganised and disillusioned Dragons continued to misfire as the dominant Scarlets forwards closed out the game.