Treviso 6 Connacht 9
Connacht got their Guinness Pro12 campaign back on track tonight as Craig Ronaldson booted them to a scrappy 9-6 win over Treviso.
The Irish outfit had won their first three games of the season but a loss in Glasgow and a draw against Cardiff in the last two rounds saw their early season momentum halted.
And they were given a tough time in Italy against bottom-of-table Treviso but Ronaldson’s boot eventually saw them home with Jayden Hayward responding with six points for the home side.
Hayward booted Treviso into a sixth-minute lead before Ronaldson pulled a penalty wide when given the chance for a quick response.
The inside-centre redeemed himself midway through the half to level the scores but Connacht were given a scare shortly after when Kieran Marmion’s tackle held up Michele Campagnaro on the line and the TMO decided not to award the Italians the try.
Ronaldson then split the posts on the half hour to edge the visitors in front but Hayward’s second penalty two minutes before the break meant the scores were level at the interval.
The home side made the brighter start in the second half but when Connacht were penalised for going in at the side Hayward missed his kick and the scores remained level.
It was a tense, edgy affair and that spilled over on the hour as Marmion and Sam Christie were both yellow-carded for an off the ball scuffle and while they were off the pitch Ronaldson nailed his third kick of the night to put Connacht ahead.
Ronaldson missed a penalty in a nervy final 10 minutes but the visitors held on to leave Treviso still without a win this season.