Challenge Cup / Beziers 10 Connacht 18: Connacht taught the current leaders of the French National Championship a lesson in resistance when they won the first leg of this European Challenge Cup tie in Béziers' Stade de la Mediterranée yesterday.

A perfect kicking record from Eric Elwood, with a tally of six penalties from six attempts, coupled with a superb display in defence, ensured Connacht go into next week's return leg at the Galway Sportsground with a lead of eight points.

Full credit must go to coach Michael Bradley and assistant John McKee for having done their homework on this huge Béziers outfit, who lead their pool in the French championship, sitting pretty above teams such as Toulouse and Perpignan.

Béziers' traditional dependence on their powerful pack in preference to kicking for goal was met by a well-schooled Connacht defence.

The home outfit spurned at least six attempts at goal, but on each occasion Connacht's lively pack met the challenge head on, frustrating the French side's one-dimensional tactic.

In contrast, Connacht were happy to take their kicks at goal. With nearly every foray upfield, Connacht won a penalty, and each time Elwood took the tee with the result that by half-time the Irish side had swept into a comfortable 12-0 lead.

Two penalties within six minutes gave Connacht an encouraging start but thereafter they had to survive wave after wave of Béziers attacks.

However, when Béziers opted to kick for touch and maul, tap and drive, or scrum, they could not find a way through the Connacht cover.

Even when they opted to mix their play using their speedy backs they met the likes of Conor McPhillip and number eight John O'Sullivan, who epitomised the best of the Connacht defence.

Admittedly Béziers did not help themselves with some high-risk passing, but when Elwood, having already notched a third penalty after 32 minutes, added a fourth just before the interval, after John O'Sullivan was tackled late, Connacht were allowed to retire to their dressing to plot further plunder in possession of a 12-point cushion.

And the Irish side was aided in that plotting when Béziers pushed the self-destruct button immediately after the restart, outhalf Yannick Lafforgue overcooking a penalty to touch.

The French frustration was epitomised by substitute Georgian prop Shvelidze who was sinbinned for stamping on Dan McFarland, and Elwood kicked the ensuing penalty for a 15-point advantage.

However, the French side never gave up and eventually their brute force was rewarded when hooker Dimitri Szarzewski got the touch from yet another lineout and drive. When Lafforgue took his first kick at goal in the 62nd minute he reduced the deficit to just five points.

Luckily for Connacht as the French outfit piled on the pressure, so too did their error count.

But Connacht themselves were far from error-free. On several occasions the westerners were lucky to escape. Not only did they lose the ball in contact situations, but the French side started to find gaps through the middle increasingly in the second half.

Once again, though, Connacht made use of limited possession, and when Béziers were penalised in the 77th minute, Elwood stretched the lead to an unbeatable 18-10, ensuring Connacht pulled off yet another big surprise against the French championship outfit.

Scoring sequence: 2 mins Elwood penalty 0-3; 6 mins Elwood penalty 0-6; 32 mins Elwood penalty 0-9; 42 mins Elwood penalty 0-12. Half-time 0-12. 52 mins Elwood penalty 0-15; 59 mins Szarzewski try, Lafforgue conversion 7-15; 62 mins Lafforgue penalty 10-15; 77 mins Elwood penalty 10-18.

BEZIERS: R Bianco; P Escalle (capt), O Gargallo, G Delmotte, A Bousquet; Y Lafforgue, N Durand; A Tolofua, D Szarzewski, I Ratianidze, G Jeannard, M Koita, A Petrache, O Llari, M Uaneayev. Replacements: F Todeschini for Bianco (25 mins); G Shvelidze for Tolofua (half time); Y Audrin for Gargallo (48 mins); D Vainqueur for Escalle (57 mins); D Khinchagishili for Ratiandidze (64 mins); S Hall for Koita, Y Nyanga for Uanbayev (72 mins).

CONNACHT: M McHugh; M Mostyn, D Yapp, T Allnutt (capt), C McPhillips; E Elwood, C Keane; D McFarland, B Jackman, A Clarke, M McCarthy, D Browne, M Swift, J O'Sullivan, M Lacey. Replacements: J Fogarty for Jackman (48 mins); T Carter for Browne, T Robinson for Allnutt, M Walls for Keane (70 mins); F Boiroux for McFarland (75 mins).

Yellow cards: O Gargallo (42 mins); G Shvelidze (51 mins); M Lacey (73 mins).

Referee: A Lombardi (Italy).