The Wales wing hurtled over in the corner for the 70th minute try that took the Dragons ahead for the first time and then coolly added the touchline conversion and a wide angled penalty for a 23-14 morale boosting victory over Benetton Treviso at Rodney Parade.
It meant they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat to deny a battling Treviso a fourth straight win over the Welsh region but head coach Darren Edwards can see light at the end of the tunnel.
“That was our first league win since November and it certainly gives us something to build on,” he said.
“Tom stepped up and slotted those very difficult kicks and while we have recently been showing some good signs in performances without the results now we have to try and maintain this momentum.
“The boys really fired in the second half and put things right, getting to grips with the scrum and putting some width on the game. We left a lot of tries out there but at least we were creating opportunities.”
Franco Smith’s Italians, despite having 13 of their players on senior duty in Scotland, were not headed until the final 10 minutes before the Dragons finally found some finishing form.
“The Dragons deserved the win,” said the former Springbok outside half. “They outplayed us at the breakdown and held onto the ball better than us.
“They are a different side to a couple of months ago, with Tom Prydie giving them pace out wide, but it was still a game we could have won because when we had the ball we were dangerous.”
Prydie accounted for 15 of the points but outside half Steffan Jones left his kicking boots at home and missed with a total of six chances with the boot.
Jones did get the first try, courtesy of some fine work by centre and man of the match Pat Leach – pushed all the way by Prydie – but tries from centre Doppies La Grange and replacement Filippo Giusti meant the Dragons had to come back from 14 points adrift.
