Connacht hold off Cheetahs fightback

[team1]Connacht[/team1][score1]21[/score1][team2]Cheetahs[/team2][score2]17[/score2][/score]

Tom Farrell and Gavin Thornbury scored tries as Connacht secured a third successive Guinness PRO14 victory with a 21-17 win over Cheetahs.

Malcolm Jaer, Joseph Dweba and Shaun Venter crossed for the South African side, but they slipped to a seventh defeat in 10 games.

Farrell beat Jaer to go in for the game's first try after just six minutes and Jack Carty added the extras.

Carty added a penalty before Thornbury put the finishing touches on to a rolling maul to give the Irish province a 15-0 advantage.

Cheetahs bounced back with two tries in the space of five minutes from Jaer and Dweba.

David Horwitz kicked two penalties to extend the Connacht lead before Venter went in and Tian Schoeman converted for the hosts.

PA