Scarlets were left to rue an ill-disciplined second half display as they went down to a 36-14 defeat to Connacht at a wet and windy Sportsground.

Trailing by just five points with the wind at their back after the interval, the West Walians were sniffing a second win of the campaign.

But errors and a string of penalties against them meant Dwayne Peel’s side were unable to build on their early efforts.

Scarlets, cheered on by vocal travelling support in Galway, were forced into a late change with Leigh Halfpenny being withdrawn before kick-off as a precautionary measure after he felt tightness in his hamstring following the captain’s run. Johnny McNicholl switched to full-back and Corey Baldwin came onto the right wing with Eddie James drafted onto the bench.

Playing into the elements in the opening half, Scarlets were behind inside the opening minute when home lock Niall Murray charged down Kieran Hardy’s clearance and slid onto the ball for the score.

Carty missed the conversion, then fly-half Sam Costelow reduced the arrears with a beauty into the brunt of the wind.

Carty responded for the home side to make it 8-3, but on 15 minutes the Connacht faithful were silenced by a brilliant counter-attacking score from the visitors.

A kicking duel was punctuated by a sizzling run by Johnny McNichooll, who rounded Ireland international Mack Hansen before finding Steff Evans on his outside, with the centre evading Hansen to dive in at the corner.

Carty restored Connacht’s lead, but Costelow landed another superb kick into the wind to level things up again.

The Westerners, though, celebrated their second of the night six minutes before the interval after Hansen stepped his way over following a concerted period of pressure on the Scarlets line and it needed a brilliant turnover penalty from the on-loan Dan Thomas to ensure there was only five points between the sides at the break.

However, the second period didn’t go to script for the visitors with Connacht going up a gear.

The home side lost No. 8 Paul Doyle to a yellow card for a dangerous challenge on Tom Price, but the Scarlets failed to take advantage of the extra man.

Instead, Connacht struck for their third try on 53 minutes, a short-range effort from replacement Jack Aungier

Substitute fly-half Rhys Patchell reduced the arrears with a penalty, but it was Connacht who controlled the final quarter.

Centre David Hawkshaw extended the lead to 24-14, then after Sione Kalamafoni was shown yellow following a string of infringements, Connacht were awarded a penalty try from a driving line-out.

To compound matters, Dan Thomas was also shown yellow and a final try for Hansen, who was awarded a kick and chase score by the TMO, put the seal on a disappointing night for the West Walians.