The East Wales region were forced to play without captain Rynard Landman for over an hour after the South African second-row saw red for a late elbow on Connacht outside-half Jack Carty. It meant the Dragons could not stop the Irish province from scoring a 30-25 triumph at Rodney Parade.
A 15-man Dragons side were beaten 24-8 in the corresponding fixture last season, and Jones reckons their capture of a losing bonus-point shows they are on the right track.
He said: “Last year we weren’t getting anything out of these games. That last try was outstanding from us, our approach work, individual ability and carrying at the gain line speaks volumes.
“We are not going to win anything with 14 men on the field. It was too much for any team that’s why the effort was so pleasing. We showed a lot of character, ability and endeavour.”
The late bonus proved vital as the Dragons moved above the Cardiff Blues into ninth position in the Guinness PRO12. They now face a winnable clash away to Zebre before they welcome Ulster to Newport in a fortnight’s time.
Jones added: “We are repairing a disappointing start to the season. We are on the up and there’s a happy group that are performing well. We’ve got Zebre and Ulster now and they are two games that are well within our ability to win.
“The statistics and key performance indicators are showing that we are on an upward curve. If you have got a team that is prepared to work hard then you have got a chance and we are confident that we have got the right people in the room.”
