Mat Gilbert's try completed victory for Bath who maintained their winning start to the Amlin Challenge Cup campaign.

The replacement flanker touched down nine minutes from time as Bath finally shrugged off a stiff challenge from the Dragons at The Rec.

Rich Lane also crossed as Bath climbed to the top of Pool 2 on the back of a 15-6 win at Bordeaux-Begles in Round One.

Newport Gwent Dragons coach Lyn Jones will rue a yellow card for back-row Lewis Evans mid-way through the second half that proved costly. Evans was binned on 64 minutes, handing Tom Heathcote his fourth penalty to open a nine-point lead which would deny the Dragons a losing bonus point.

And Bath’s pack then made the advantage count when Gilbert was at the tail end of a devastating driving maul to put the seal on the result.

Until the yellow card, this was a closely fought Anglo-Welsh clash between two sides who started with success stories on the opening weekend.

Lane skipped over inside five minutes for the game’s opening points, but British & Irish Lion Toby Faletau showed his class by hitting back just six minutes later.

Heathcote and Jason Tovey both kicked penalties with the scores locked at 10-10 at half-time.

But Bath edged ahead with two more penalties before Evans’ card turned the game.