Dean Ryan pleased with Dragons' precision in win at Benetton

The Dragons won on the road in the Guinness PRO14 for the first time in four and a half years when they beat Zebre last season.

They ensured that another unwanted streak won't develop thanks to a fine 26-19 triumph in Treviso on Sunday night.

Wing Ashton Hewitt and centre Jamie Roberts crossed for tries in the first half and scrum-half Rhodri Williams went over in the second.

Sam Davies missed twice from the tee to mean that the Dragons weren't completely out of sight but they still came agonisingly close to a four-try bonus in the closing stages.

Television footage showed that wing Owen Jenkins was just in touch after a flying finish in the corner and Benetton had the final say with a consolation try to earn their own bonus.

Had the Dragons put the game to bed in the final quarter then they could have really pressed for a five-point haul but that was a slight grumble on a good evening.

The region had endured four weeks on the sidelines, two of them in quarantine, because of a coronavirus outbreak but weren't rusty in northern Italy.

"I am pleased on two fronts, a win was always going to give us momentum and also the manner of the first half hour," said director of rugby Ryan.

"We were really precise, played in the right areas of the field and were patient. We didn't get many start points in their half but stayed in that kicking contest, then when we did we were really precise.

"Towards the end we looked pretty comfortable when they were obviously going to throw the kitchen sink at us.

"Sam missed some kicks that we would have expected him to get on another day, then we would have had full control of that game.

"A side more used to playing and winning could have pushed on for a bonus point but we will take the win at the moment and look forward to preparing for next week."

The Dragons travel to Glasgow on Saturday before they return to Europe's premier competition with Champions Cup clashes with Wasps and Bordeaux-Begles.

Those tough assignments are followed by a trio of festive derbies before the conclusion of the Euro group stages.

"The games are coming now until we can take a breath in February, so this was good for us," said Ryan. "If we hadn't got the win then we would have been chasing momentum next week.

"We are going to have a ball in the Champions Cup, we are really going to enjoy ourselves, but we recognise how tough the competition is going to be.

"We need to be prepared for that, so to win in Benetton is a good start."

Ryan was impressed by the maturity of his side, who have now beaten the Italian duo to go along with comprehensive defeats at the hands of the big Irish trio.

"We are starting to get to a stage as a side where we understand what we are trying to do," he said.

"We make mistakes but now recognise them as mistakes rather than seeking different answers;

We recognise that we have to get better at something rather than doing something differently.

"That's really powerful for the players out there because they feel in control. Now the challenge is to go away again and see if we can get something at Glasgow."

The Dragons will monitor injuries to tighthead Lloyd Fairbrother, flanker Ben Fry and centre/wing Adam Warren after they were forced off in the first half.