Cardiff Blues 22 Connacht 6:Cardiff Blues went top of the Magners League with victory over Connacht but Eric Elwood's side turned in another valiant display away from home and denied their hosts the bonus point that would have taken them into the outright lead over Munster.
Only once did they cross the Connacht line - a brilliant individual effort by man of the match Casey Laulala - with the stout defence of the visitors helped by the an error-strewn display from the Welsh side.
"It shows how far we've come that we can play really poorly and still win," said coach Dai after seeing his side climb ahead of Munster on points difference.
It was dire entertainment for the 11,000-plus crowd, swelled by hundreds of schoolchildren on free passes. A tedious opening quarter saw Blues outhalf Dan Parks out-kick opposite number Ian Keatley by two penalties to one, with the only excitement resulting from a couple of scything runs by Connacht wing Fionn Carr.
The first decent move put together by the Blues backs fizzled out when Parks sent a cross-kick straight to a waiting defender, but the Australian-born Scot used his boot to better effect with a drop goal to extend the lead.
Keatley dispossessed Blues flanker Michael Paterson on halfway and reached the home 22 before a desperate last-ditch tackle by Leigh Halfpenny saved the day.
After half an hour's huffing and puffing, the game finally saw some flair, Laulala celebrating his return from injury by cutting inside two Connacht defenders to cross for a superb touchdown, converted by Parks.
Connacht opened the second half with a Keatley penalty, before a kick ahead by Blues wing Chris Czekaj forced a lineout near the visitors' line. The opportunity was squandered when Parks' drop-goal attempt was charged down.
It was typical of an evening when both sides' attacking efforts were ruined by basic handling errors, with the Blues in particular suffering at the set-piece and the breakdown, frequently being turned over or penalised after the tackle.
The usual stream of substitutes did nothing to help the teams find any rhythm, but Connacht almost broke through with an angled run by hooker Adrian Flavin, who was held up just short.
With try chances in short supply, the Blues were grateful for a penalty from halfway by Parks and another, from even further, by Halfpenny to make the game safe and install them - temporarily - in the top spot.