Edinburgh sink Scarlets

Edinburgh shook off their Magners League cobwebs with a clinical triumph over the high-flying Scarlets at Murrayfield.

Andy Robinson's troops had gone into battle with two defeats to their name, while the visitors had won all three of their tussles.

But the recent records counted for nothing in a one-sided contest in which the Gunners bagged a precious bonus point.

They exploded into action from the start and had the Welsh outfit under the cosh for virtually the entire first half.

They rattled up 15 points - but it should have been more, as winger Mark Robertson emerged as the hero and villain.

Stand-off Phil Godman broke the deadlock in the 18th minute with a regulation penalty.

And Edinburgh's superiority, especially up front, was underlined when prop Geoff Cross was driven over for the opening try in the wake of a spell of converted pressure in the danger zone.

They stepped up the pace from the restart and were rewarded just three minutes later, thanks to the pace and guile of Robertson.

Chris Paterson inflicted the initial damage by luring several markers into space out wide.

He shipped the ball to Robertson, who ducked infield before dodging past two defenders and skipping in beside the posts - giving Paterson a simple conversion.

Robertson should have scored again in stoppage time when he won the race to reach Matt Mustchin's lob across the try-line.

But instead of merely flopping on the ball, he tried to scoop it up with the intention of racing behind the bar for an easier kick, and the gamble failed when it squirmed from his grasp at the vital moment.

Edinburgh kept up the initiative in the early stages of the second half, but a series of basic mistakes prevented further scoring until Godman banged over a speculative drop-goal out of the blue.

That was the cue for Robertson to make amends for his blunder by cruising over for his second touchdown after Ben Gissing had been blocked marginally short.

Paterson gleefully thumped over the goal from a wide angle to take the margin to 25.

The drama level rose when Morgan Stoddart clawed back a score for the Scarlets - only to see Nick De Luca bustle over for the hosts' bonus-point effort at the other end, converted by Paterson.

Martin Roberts snatched a late consolation try for the visitors, converted by Stephen Jones.