The home side had the first clear-cut scoring chance only for Lee Thomas to miss a kickable penalty. Edinburgh pressure was rewarded midway through the first period when full-back Derrick Lee found space on the left and brushed aside two poor tackles to score. Brendan Laney converted and added a penalty before a rare Blues attack resulted in the visitors’ second try.
A turnover in the Edinburgh half enabled hooker Dougie Hall to send Webster racing in unopposed from 60 yards. Laney’s successful conversion was the last kick of a one-sided first half. A half-time talk from Dai Young spurred the Blues’ pack into action and a series of drives gained them the position for scrum-half Ryan Powell to dive over, but Lee Thomas missed the conversion.
The Blues maintained their control and Edinburgh lock Nathan Hines was yellow carded, allowing the home forwards to force their below-strength opponents over the line. Prop Martin Jones claimed the touchdown, with full-back Nick Macleod converting as Nick Robinson came off the bench for his first action since last summer’s Wales tour. It was injury time before Edinburgh were given their first penalty of the second period, but Laney missed and was also wide with a drop-goal attempt, which at least allowed the Blues a losing bonus point.
Cardiff Blues: Nick Macleod(1C); Dean Dewdney, Tristan Davies, Jon Bryant, Jonny Vaughton; Lee Thomas, Ryan Powell(1T); John Yapp, Rhys Thomas, Martin Jones(1T); Deiniol Jones (capt), Nathan Budgett; Nathan Thomas, Robin Sowden-Taylor, Kort Schubert
Bench: Ben Evans, Gareth Williams, Robert Sidoli, Maama Molitika, Nick Robinson, Nick Walne, Shaun James Replacements used: G.Williams for R.Thomas 57, Molitika for N.Thomas 57, N.Robinson for L.Thomas 62, Evans for M.Jones 64, Sidoli for Budgett 70
Edinburgh Rugby: Derrick Lee(1T); Mike Pyke, Marcus Di Rollo, Brendan Laney(2C, 1PG), Simon Webster(1T); Phil Godman, Michael Blair; Allan Jacobsen, Dougie Hall, Craig Smith; Fergus Pringle, Nathan Hines (sin bin 60-74); Todd Blackadder (capt), Alasdair Strokosch, David Callam
Bench: Andrew Kelly, Alasdair Dickinson, Nathan Pike, Simon Cross, Rory Lawson, Paul Boston, Craig Joiner Replacements used: Dickinson for Jacobsen 41, Joiner for Di Rollo 70, Cross for Strokosch 72, Lawson for Blair 76
Scoring sequence: 20′ Lee (T) 0-5, Laney (C) 0-7, 34′ Laney (PG) 0-10, 40′ Webster (T) 0-15, Laney (C) 0-17, 44′ Powell (T) 5-17, 61′ M.Jones (T) 10-17, Macleod (C) 12-17
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)
Attendance: 3200
