Mack Hansen crossed for a try in each half as Connacht breathed new life into their season with a vital bonus-point victory over the Scarlets.
The Ireland international's 34th-minute effort ensured Connacht led 16-11 at the end of a frustrating first half where they led inside 27 seconds through Niall Murray’s charge-down try but squandered a number of other scoring chances.
However, the Westerners atoned with a dominant second-half display as replacement Jack Aungier barged over within a minute of his introduction before securing their second win of the season with a late penalty try and second from Hansen.
On another wet and windy night in Galway, Connacht's accuracy at key moments again threatened to cost them dearly, but a more direct approach in the second half paid dividends as the home pack outworked the visitors.
Conor Oliver, the returning Cian Prendergast and John Porch were among the standout performers for Andy Friend’s side and they will travel to face the Ospreys next weekend with renewed confidence.
The Scarlets were forced into a late change after Leigh Halfpenny was withdrawn with a tight hamstring. Fellow Wales international Johnny McNicholl switched to full-back with Corey Baldwin coming onto the right wing.
Connacht had won their last two matches against Welsh opposition, including a 29-23 victory at Parc y Scarlets last February, and they got off a dream start with a try inside 27 seconds.
Kieran Hardy dwelled far too long over a box-kick and was pounced upon by Murray, who charged down his clearance and then sprinted onto the loose ball to score. Jack Carty missed the conversion.
It marked the beginning of a difficult night for Hardy with a further two box-kicks going awry inside the opening six minutes.
Sam Costelow got the Scarlets on the board with a penalty after Oliver was twice penalised but Carty replied three minutes later as conditions deteriorated.
A strong gust of wind prevented McNicholl from claiming Costelow’s up-and-under, the ball blowing away from his grasp at the final moment, but the full-back was not to be denied and he produced a moment of magic to create the Scarlets’ first try.
After a long spell of kick tennis, McNicholl exposed a tiring Connacht defence by getting on the outside of Hansen before stepping Carty and feeding Evans, who crossed in the corner for an unconverted score.
The Scarlets’ line speed in defence was giving Carty no time on the ball, debutant Dan Thomas leaving the out-half with sore ribs after a late tackle that was penalised. Carty missed the resultant penalty and that marked the start of a frustrating spell for the hosts where they left scores behind them.
Carty used the strong breeze to smash over a 50-metre penalty on 28 minutes, only for Costelow to immediately reply, and Connacht spurned another chance on 33 minutes following lovely link-up from Paul Boyle and Byron Ralston off a scrum.
They did capitalise on their next visit to the Scarlets 22. Some hard yards by the Connacht forwards looked set to go unrewarded until Carty floated a brilliant long pass out wide to Hansen, who stepped inside Corey Baldwin and held off Costelow to score.
Connacht should have a third try on half-time following a slick give-and-go between Hansen and Oliver. Porch’s inside pass looked to have put Oliver over but he was tackled just shy of the line and Thomas popped up with a crucial turnover on the final play.
Connacht were reduced to 14 on 48 minutes when Boyle was sin-binned for a dangerous clear-out in front of the Scarlets tryline, but they defied that numerical advantage to score their third try.
Heffernan went close after peeling off a driving maul and following a big drive by Prendergast, Oliver and Murray latched onto Aungier to push the replacement prop over in the corner.
Carty was unable to add the extras on another mixed night off the tee, with Hawkshaw taking over duties on the hour mark to cancel out Rhys Patchell’s penalty.
Patchell then missed an easy effort at goal as Connacht finished the stronger, and a succession of Scarlets penalties when defending their own tryline resulted in a yellow card for Sione Kalamafoni.
Connacht kicked to the corner and the result was a penalty try after the Scarlets illegally sacked their driving maul. That saw the Welsh side reduced to 13 as Thomas was binned.
Hansen put the seal on a much-needed victory when he won the race to his own kick off from a turnover and touched down, much to the delight and relief of the 4,100 crowd.
Connacht: Tiernan O'Halloran; John Porch, Byron Ralston, David Hawkshaw, Mack Hansen; Jack Carty (capt); Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham; Niall Murray, Leva Fifita; Cian Prendergast, Conor Oliver, Paul Boyle
Replacements: Oisín Dowling for Fifita (51), Jack Aungier for Bealham (51), Dylan Tierney-Martin for Heffernan (54), Colm Reilly for Marmion (54), Jarrad Butler for Boyle (58), Jordan Duggan for Buckley (64), Cathal Forde for Ralston (64), Alex Wooton for O'Halloran (68).
Scarlets: Johnny McNicholl; Corey Baldwin, Steff Evans, Jonathan Davies (capt), Ryan Conbeer; Sam Costelow, Kieran Hardy; Steff Thomas, Ken Owens, Harri O'Connor; Jac Price, Tom Price; Josh Macleod, Dan Thomas, Sione Kalamafoni
Replacements: Dane Blacker for Hardy (50), Rhys Patchell for Costelow (51), Ryan Elias for Owens (52), Morgan Jones for Jack Price (52), Willgriff John for Thomas (64), Kemsley Mathias for O’Connor (64).
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
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