Connacht hold on for win over dogged Treviso
Connacht had to dig deep to record a narrow 31-25 home win over Magners League opponents Treviso, who finished strongly to claim a late losing bonus point.
With their stand-in captain Johnny O'Connor in the sin-bin, Connacht leaked a penalty try, which Willem de Waal converted to get the Italians within a converted score of victory.
But Eric Elwood's men, who had stormed into a handsome early lead, held on to move above the visitors in the Magners League standings.
Troy Nathan and the excellent Frank Murphy scored tries to move Connacht 18-0 ahead, before Michele Sepe and Manoa Vosawai responded for Treviso.
Ian Keatley, who finished with 16 points, kicked the hosts into a 24-12 half-time lead, but the Italian side put the hosts under huge pressure late on.
A 47th-minute try for Brian Tuohy, Connacht's third, had Elwood's side in sight of the bonus point as Keatley converted for a 31-12 advantage before the visitors' comeback.
