NEWPORT Gwent Dragons blew a big chance of gaining a major English scalp, complained coach Paul Turner after they went down to a late Wasps rally at Adams Park yesterday.

It ruined any outside chance they had of making the semi-finals of the EDF Energy Cup, though Gloucester would have gone through whatever happened after their victory over Newcastle.

But the Dragons held a 10-6 lead going into the final quarter against Wasps, though they were given a hiding in the scrums while a series of late mistakes in defence meant a third successive away defeat at the hands of leading English opposition.

“For all the effort we put in we blew a big chance,” lamented Turner.

“We had an uncontested scrum on the Wasps line with four minutes to go, but we blew the opportunity.

“We made too many errors in the last four minutes.

“I was really disappointed when at 10-6 ahead we shouldn’t have taken a long- range penalty but got field position and the game could have come to us.

“I was impressed with Wasps’ power but felt we had the beating of them behind if we had enough ball. We also defended resolutely again.

“But we haven’t got as strong a squad as I’d like, though the players have fronted up week after week. It’s good to come to these places, but you’ve got to play for 80 minutes.

“We always knew five games away against arguably the best sides in Europe would be difficult, but they could all have come our way.

“For the third week in a row we just got beaten, but I felt the final score was not a fair reflection of the game.”

And as if to underline the huge Dragons task at this stage of the season Turner added wryly: “We’ve got a week off now, then it’s back to face Leinster and Toulouse away!”