Cardiff mount heroic comeback

Edinburgh 22 Cardiff 26

Cardiff clinched a Celtic League semi-final showdown with Neath as Edinburgh suffered a second-half fadeout at Meadowbank.

The Gunners were in total control before the interval but were ultimately punished for squandering a spate of scoring chances.

Edinburgh had broken the deadlock in the 10th minute when Brendan Laney slotted a 35-metre angled penalty.

The Welshmen responded in positive style, putting together a series of raids - but without really looking like breaching the home defence.

And they found themselves five further points adrift as Edinburgh manufactured the opening touchdown.

Their gamble in keeping the ball alive at a penalty in the danger zone paid off when Lions lock Scott Murray was driven over.

Laney sent his conversion attempt wide from not too difficult a position – but bounced back to make amends by confidently slotting over the penalty.

And five minutes later he repeated the feat from almost the same spot.

But they eased their worries almost immediately as Iestyn Harris broke their duck with a penalty when the Gunners had entered a ruck from side-on.

Edinburgh were soon back on the offensive, however, to bag a second crucial try. Scotland reject Derrick Lee took full advantage of poor marking and hesitant tackling to jink his way to the target from 15 metres.

Lee then displayed his defensive bravery by hauling down opposite man Rhys Williams as he steamed towards the target.

Cardiff earned a glimmer of hope on the stroke of the break as Harris stroked over another tricky penalty.

Cardiff seemed to receive inspiration from Harris’ strike and had the better of the nervy exchanges in the early stages of the second half.

Nick Walne and Dan Baugh almost broke through, but they were up against a particularly robust home defence and had to rely on another Harris penalty to get their side of the scoreboard clicking again.

Then Williams burst the game open with an opportunist touchdown. The Gunners back ranks failed to cope with a loose ball 30 metres from their line.

Wing Simon Webster appeared to have Williams in his grip – but couldn’t hold on and allowed the full-back to regain his poise and scuttle across under the crossbar.

Harris’ conversion was a formality and all of a sudden the born-again Welshmen were just three points in arrears.

It acted as a wake-up call to Edinburgh and they stepped up the pace again at the other end – only for centre Ally Dickson to squander a chance with a sloppy pass straight to an opponent.

Then Webster was only a fingertip from turning a Laney crossfield lob into five points and referee Alan Lewis was forced to intervene twice in as many minutes as tempers frayed.

First, he reversed a penalty in Edinburgh’s favour when Craig Smith tangled with Ryan Powell.

Then he yellow-carded Gunner Marty Leslie and Cardiff player-coach Dai Young for a mini punch-up.

Cardiff then seized control as the determined Powell burrowed his way over for another try – with Harris adding the extra points from wide on the right.

Laney hit back with another penalty to take the Gunners to within a point and set up a tense finale.

And he was left shaking his head in disbelief as his last-gasp kick clipped the near post – leaving Harris to have the final word with his fourth strike.