THE Dragons’ nightmare run against Cardiff stretched to 19 defeats – and the 24-22 loss at a packed Rodney Parade was among the most painful of the lot.

A dream start was wasted in Newport to ensure there were blue and black Boxing Day celebrations after they struck late to maintain their unlikely challenge for the United Rugby Championship play-offs.

The Dragons raced into a 15-0 lead inside the first quarter thanks to tries by Wales stars Aaron Wainwright and Rio Dyer plus five points from the boot of centurion Angus O’Brien, who pulled the strings superbly.

Cardiff struck back through lock Teddy Williams but the hosts led 15-5 at the break and simply had to convert that into the elusive win against their nearest rivals.

Instead, it was one-way traffic in the third quarter and the visitors got their noses in front thanks to tries by wingers Josh Adams and Gabe Hamer-Webb.

At 19-15 down, the Dragons needed to come out of their shells and rediscover the snap and swagger from the opening exchanges.

They did that – sparked by a majestic high catch by replacement Cai Evans fresh off the bench – and scrum-half Rhodri Williams sniped over to earn a 22-19 lead with 11 minutes to go.

However, Cardiff responded again and it was hooker Evan Lloyd who was the Cardiff hero after he guided over a driving lineout in the 75th minute.

That ensured it was another missed opportunity for the Dragons against their nearest rivals, and leaves them at risk of being cut adrift at the bottom of the URC.

OPENER: Aaron Wainwright of Dragons celebrates scoring a try with team mates (Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency)

It looked in the first quarter that attack coach Matt O’Brien, caretaker caretaker coach after interim head coach Filo Tiatia’s return to New Zealand for family reasons, that would become the first boss since Lyn Jones to beat Cardiff.

Alas, unless there is a Challenge Cup showdown the losing streak will go into next season when the Blue and Blacks will try to hit 20 straight successes, an embarrassing run back to the 2015 win in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals that keeps lingering.

They must now somehow lift themselves for a New Year’s Day trip to the Scarlets, who are helped by a longer turnaround from their own derby despair against the Ospreys last Saturday.

The Dragons had the territorial edge in an error-strewn start and they made that count on the scoreboard in the 15th minute after turning down a shot at goal in favour of going for the corner.

Work from the training ground paid off after centre Joe Westwood went into the lineout and number eight Wainwright started in midfield.

The ball went off the top to scrum-half Rhodri Williams, who flung a flat pass to the number eight to hammer his way over for the opener.

O’Brien converted and then added a penalty to make it 10-0 after 17 minutes… and it got better.

The captain kicked to the right wing for Dyer to show footballing skills to dink the ball past the cover and then touch down for a 15-0 lead.

O’Brien hit the left post with the conversion and then dragged an ambitious long-range penalty as the Dragons completely bossed matters and tried to build a commanding lead.

Cardiff worked back into the game and were close to a response on the half hour when Wales centre Ben Thomas ripped the ball away from opposite number Aneurin Owen.

The playmaker kicked to the left wing where Gabe Hamer-Webb would have been over had the bounce been kind, but instead it favoured the Dragons and allowed O’Brien to put enough pressure on to force a knock-on.

DOUBLE: Wales wing Rio Dyer went over for the Dragons against Cardiff (Image: Gareth Everett)

Cardiff got over that disappointment, kept the pressure on and then lock Williams reached over to make it 15-5 after 33 minutes after hooker Dafydd Hughes had gone close.

The Dragons also got away with one just before half-time when a big scrum penalty and then offside against the three-quarters gave the visitors one last chance with the clock in the red.

Callum Sheedy turned down a shot at goal and then undercooked his kick to the 22 to allow Rhodri Williams to keep the ball in, then O’Brien to kick the ball dead.

It was Cardiff that started the second half on the front foot and it was very much game on after 44 minutes when wing Adams, who had been the subject of ill-advised terrace taunts early on, cut a disguised line off ben Thomas to run free and slide under the posts.

Sheedy converted and it was a three-point game, and it should have been a Cardiff lead in the 52nd minute when they turned the ball over in the 22 but flanker Alex Mann failed to shift the ball to the waiting attackers out wide.

It was one-way traffic with the Dragons hanging on and barely firing an attacking shot.

That resulted in the Blue and Blacks getting their noses in front with 56 minutes on the clock with a strike play catching out the Dragons in defence to work an overlap for Hamer-Webb down the left.

POWER: Dragons great Taulupe Faletau on the charge for Cardiff (Image: Gareth Everett)

Sheedy converted from the touchline but then the hosts rallied to get their noses back in front.

They piled on the pressure in the 22 in a frantic attack that ended with scrum-half Williams sneaking over with penalty advantage.

O’Brien converted for a 22-19 lead but Cardiff went down the other end to hunt a potential winner, not content with kicking a penalty to level up for the closing minutes.

They got their four-try bonus with 75 minutes on the clock, hooker Evan Lloyd crashing over after hitting his man.

Sheedy’s conversion was wide – a penalty or drop goal would be enough for the Dragons.

Sadly, they didn’t even get within striking distance as the streak goes on.

Dragons: Anderson (C Evans 64); Dyer, Westwood, Owen, J Rosser; O’Brien (captain), R Williams; Martinez (Seiuli 59), Coghlan (Dee 51), Arhip (Latu 59), J Davies (N Thomas 76), Woodman, Lydiate (Lewis-Hughes 51), Basham, Wainwright.

Scorers: tries – Wainwright, Dyer, R Williams; conversions – O’Brien (2); penalty – O’Brien.

Cardiff scorers: tries – T Williams, Adams, Hamer-Webb, E Lloyd; conversions – C Sheedy (2).

Referee: Adam Jones.

Attendance: 8,511.