Torrential rain and some agonizing mistakes washed away Edinburgh’s hopes of reclaiming top spot in the Magners League with the Black and Red Army on the receiving end of a painful 9-8 home loss against Newport Gwent Dragons.

The heavy downpour never stopped and, without making excuses, Edinburgh struggled during a disjointed first half to generate any serious momentum.

Dragons’ goalkicker James Arlidge kept the scoreboard ticking over in favour of the visitors and, by the half-time break, Newport had accumulated a nine-point advantage.

After the interval, the onus was on Edinburgh to attack and the home side duly dominated, but frustratingly were unable to translate possession into points.

Despite being camped out by the Dragons’ try-line for over 10 minutes, Edinburgh only chalked up a meager three points courtesy of a Phil Godman penalty directly in front of the posts.

Nevertheless Edinburgh kept plugging away and finally made the long awaited breakthrough. Allister Hogg’s surging run brought Roddy Grant into play and Nick De Luca’s final pass enabled replacement Andrew Turnbull to slide in for his second try od the season.

Unfortunately Godman missed the resultant conversion attempt from an acute angle, although Edinburgh were clearly in the ascendancy and the general consensus from the 2,066 crowd who had braved the elements was that they could still win it.

But some dogged defending from the Dragons kept the wave after wave of Edinburgh attacks at bay and culminated in a one-point defeat.

Before the match, both Chris Paterson (foot infection) and Alan MacDonald (calf) were ruled out with full-back Steve Jones and flanker Roddy Grant replacing them in the starting line-up.

Ben Cairns limped off with a knee injury in the second half and the Scotland medical team have still to discover the full extent of his problem.

John Houston was also withdrawn with injury during an incredibly physical and demanding 80 minutes of rugby.

Lessons were learned in the rain and Edinburgh will be aiming to immediately bounce back when the Magners League programme resumes on Friday 4 December at Scarlets.

Edinburgh:
Tries: A. Turnbull
Penalties: Godman

Edinburgh: Jones; Houston (A Turnbull), Cairns (Robertson), De Luca, Visser; Godman, Laidlaw (M Blair); Jacobsen (Traynor), Ford (Kelly), G. Cross, S Turnbull, MacLeod, Newlands, Roddy Grant, Hogg (captain).
Replacements: Kelly, Traynor, C. Hamilton, McKenzie, M. Blair, Robertson, A. Turnbull.