The Dragons shipped five tries to the side directly below them in the standings as they finished the weekend as the lowest-placed Welsh region after Cardiff Blues won at Edinburgh 24 hours earlier.
Having harboured realistic hopes of a sixth-place finish and a European spot after their heroic comeback win over high-flying Glasgow in late-February, the Dragons are now just two points clear of 11th-placed Treviso after they failed to fire at the Stadio di Monigo.
They did at least cross for three tries of their own through Matthew Screech, Ross Wardle and Cory Hill but, in truth, they were never in contention for just a second league win since the turn of the year once they trailed 19-6 at the break.
Treviso had the game all but sewn up as they led 31-6 with just under half an hour remaining, although the Dragons were chasing a losing, try-scoring bonus point in the dying stages having seen Hill touch down with nine minutes left.
The early stages didn’t point towards the disappointment that was to come as the much-maligned Dragons scrum allowed Jason Tovey to open the scoring from 30 metres out with 10 minutes played. The former Blues fly half had missed the posts early on but he was on target for a second time after 21 minutes, four minutes after Matt Berquist had drawn Treviso level.
The game swung Treviso’s way just 60 seconds after Tovey had struck his second success, though, with a poor clearance from full back Dan Evans resulting in a chargedown from Robert Barbieri and a try for Ludovico Nitoglia. Berquist added the extras to make it 10-6 and the remainder of the half went entirely Treviso’s way as the New Zealand No10 struck three more penalties to leave the Dragons 13 points off the pace at the break.
And things got worse soon after the restart as full back Luke McLean touched down after 44 minutes and centre Michele Campagnaro followed suit seven minutes later. McLean coasted through three tackles from 35 metres out and Campagnaro, who was man of the match when Wales beat Italy in their RBS 6 Nations opener, found a fine outside angle two passes after the ball had gone loose in midfield to leave the Dragons 31-6 behind.
Former Bedwas lock Matthew Screech finally claimed the Dragons’ opening try on 57 minutes after a Lewis Evans lineout take saw the visitors drive towards the line, but any hopes of a comeback were soon dismissed when replacement back rower Manoa Vosawai powered over for Treviso’s bonus-point score just past the hour.
Wardle grabbed the Dragons’ second try following a strong burst and deft offload from Jack Dixon to cut the gap with just over a quarter of an hour remaining but the Dragons switched off straight after as replacement prop Matteo Muccignat sealed the win with Treviso’s fifth score.
Hill ensured the Dragons were the last to trouble the scoreboard but it was too little too late as they headed home empty handed.
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