Scarlets were comfortable winners in the first match of Judgement Day, cruising to a 32-15 victory over the Dragons.

A brace of second half tries from Tomi Lewis confirmed the result after Kemsley Mathias and Dan Davis had converted in the first period. Dragons substitute Sio Tomkinson scored a couple of tries to reduce the deficit, but it was ultimately too little, too late for the away side.

With both sides having seasons to forget, the match was an opportunity for some of the younger prospects to put their names forward for starting berths next season and for others to impress in front of Wales head coach Warren Gatland ahead of his squad announcement on Monday.

Will Reed and Sam Costelow traded early penalties before Kemsley Mathias dotted down for Scarlets at the back of a maul to give the ‘home’ side some breathing room.

It was a cagey first half, one where the ball rarely got out to the wide areas, making the midfield battle key to how this match was settled. Aneurin Owen and Joe Westwood of Dragons competed well up against the Scarlets duo of Eddie James and Johnny Williams, as the contest reached a stalemate of sorts in the opening 25 minutes of the match.

Westwood, starting just his third match of the season and only his second in the centres, was diligent in defence but was given very little in attack, while Williams, always a willing runner in attack, was prone to momentary lapses when defending the 13 channel.

James was most eye catching, flinging a couple of lovely passes out to Ryan Conbeer on the left wing before being yellow carded for a tackle on Owen that was adjudged to have been high by referee Craig Evans.

Owen’s right leg slipped out from under him as he played the pass, resulting in a good shot from James turning into an illegal one. Owen went off for an HIA and was replaced by Dragons’ club captain Steff Hughes, a substitution later made permanent.

Despite being a man up, Dragons were unable to capitalise. The newly-introduced Hughes’ cross kick was a touch high for Rio Dyer who was well managed by Ioan Nicholas out wide.

It was Scarlets, though that pulled further ahead before the break. Gareth Davies quick-tap penalty left the Dragons’ defence scrambling before Sam Lousi’s offload to Ioan Lloyd broke it open.

Lloyd fed Tomi Lewis on the wing who fixed the covering defender before putting through Dan Davis to score his first try of a consistent, if unspectacular, season for the openside.

Scarlets stretched their lead further just after the break as Dyer’s meandering sideways run ended catastrophically as he offloaded the ball straight into the hands of Lewis with a clean run through for a third try.

Twenty-one unanswered points for Scarlets left Dragons chasing the game. As Chris Hollis and Dyer left their wings looking for work, the visitor’s attacking shape shrunk into the middle of the pitch, making things simple for James, Williams and co in defence.

While in defence, things were unravelling in familiar fashion. Lewis was one of a number of red shirts waiting for Jarrod Taylor’s ball on the overlap, as Dragons’ scramble defence was left wanting after Johnny Williams’ break.

Taine Plumtree, another looking to impress ahead of the summer internationals, was not overly tested, while his blindside counterpart, Wales U20 captain Ryan Woodman cut a peripheral figure as the Dragons’ edge forward in attack.

In the second rows, Alex Craig was the standout. A heavy carrier, albeit without the flair of his partner Sam Lousi, Craig was consistently affecting the contact area and imposing his size and power on the contest, a deserved man of the match performance at a key time for the Scottish lock.

Ben Carter, likely to be in Warren Gatland’s squad for Wales’ game with South Africa later this month due to a number of injuries and other absentees, was his usual industrious self.

However, Gatland will be sweating over the fitness of number eight Aaron Wainwright who was forced off at half time, replaced by Dan Lyditate.

Dragons’ hit back not long after Lewis’ second try through substitute Sio Tomkinson before the impressive Lewis had to be helped from the pitch for what looked like a twisted ankle injury as he defended another yellow and black attack.

Tomkinson’s second try gave the scoreline a little gloss for the Dragons but, as has been the case for most of the season, their second half efforts were in vain.

Both sides will now look to put this season behind them and look towards next with some positivity.

Scarlets: (17) 32 Tries: Mathias, Davis, Lewisx2 Con: Costelow x2, Lloyd, Pen: Costelow x2.

Dragons: (3) 15 Tries: Tomkinson x2, Con: Reed Pen: Reed.

Scarlets: Nicholas (Lloyd 55′), Lewis (Page 66′), J Williams, James, Conbeer, Costelow, G Davies (Hardy 51′); Mathias (W Jones 55′), Elias (c) (S Evans 66′), O’Connor (S Wainwright 55′), Craig (M Jones 74′), Lousi, Plumtree, Davis, Tuipulotu (Taylor 51′).

Dragons: Rosser, Dyer, Westwood, Owen (Hughes 30′), Hollis (Tomkinson 59′), Reed, R Williams (c) (Hope 66′); R Jones (Martinez 53′), Coghlan (Benjamin 53′), Coleman (Arhip 53′), Carter, Screech (Nott 61′), Woodman, Basham, A Wainwright (Lydiate 40′).