AFTER losing three games and drawing one in the last 29 days, winning was all that mattered for Edinburgh.

They managed that, and although head coach Alan Solomons praised his squad's character and determination, more confidence in the ranks would have ensured a bigger margin at full-time in Wales.

As Solomons pointed out, his team created seven clear scoring changes, but converted only two. The television match official twice disallowing scores after they had got the ball over the line, then Tim Visser knocked on when all he had to do was ground the ball. Two other opportunities were squandered as passes went astray as Edinburgh missed a chance to record a more comprehensive win.

The result also came with a heavy price with Cornell Du Preez, who has been their stand-out back rower since he arrived a year ago, breaking his ankle in the first half, an injury that looks certain to end his season.

"It was the second game where they showed tremendous character; there was the Scarlets game and then this one," Solomons said. "What carried them through was their character and the morale in the side.

"The knocks they have received from outside the group knock your confidence. The only guy who has understood the situation here is Ian McLauchlan [the former Scotland prop and captain].

"But morale has been great and when you get into these situations, it is a tribute to the character of the players."

Solomons knows the reality is that his team were the better of two poor sides, but they still have some way to go before they can start challenging the sides they need to beat to be in the top half of the Guinness PRO12 table come the end of the season.

They did, however, grow as the game went on. It was a nervy first period, with the ball twice over the Welsh line, but Visser's knock-on and flanker Hamish Watson, whose impressive performance must be pulling him close to an international call-up, grounding the ball on a defender's hand meant they did not get the reward for all their pressure.

Edinburgh did manage, however, to earn a couple of penalties, both knocked over by fly-half Tom Heathcote, but a six-point advantage was poor reward and they had to step things up a couple of levels in the second half.

Yet Edinburgh could hardly have made a worse start. The second period was only a couple of minutes old, with the Dragons having had all the possession, when winger Matthew Pewtner popped up in midfield and wriggled his way out of two tackles to go under the posts for the game's opening try.

Jason Tovey converted and, improbably the home side were ahead. But they failed to hold on to their position for long.

Edinburgh won a penalty for a high tackle on Sean Kennedy soon after the restart and Heathcote slotted his third kick to edge his side back in front.

With the game on a knife edge, it was the Dragons who made the game-turning blunder.

A long kick should not have posed too many problems for wing Hallam Amos but he took too long and Visser was there to charge down and this time make no mistake with the bouncing ball. The match was then made safe with a classic pressure try. The forwards drove for the line until the Welsh ran out of defenders and wing Dougie Fife, making his comeback from injury, went over to give the visitors a 14-point advantage, which they held to the end, with Angus O'Brien for the Dragons and Heathcote exchanging penalties.

Edinburgh did get one more chance at a try after a Heathcote break, but the final pass off the ground was ruled forward and they had to be satisfied with a win that was comfortable but not as all-encompassing as it could have been,

"You could see in the first half there was a fair amount of nerves," Solomons said. "We spoke at half-time about sticking at it, staying calm and composed, and the points did come."