Cardiff made it four wins out of five in the opening block of URC matches as Ioan Lloyd proved the late match winner.

Making his first start of the season, No 10 Lloyd landed a long-range penalty from just inside the opposition half on 73 minutes to secure the victory.

It’s a result which sees Cardiff retain fourth spot in the table – just three points off the leaders – going into the international break.

Having trailed 19-12 at the interval, they dominated the second half in the wind and rain in front of a crowd of 7,189.

Prop Javan Sebastian claimed a try against his former team to cut the deficit, adding to first half touchdowns from scrum-half Johan Mulder and wing Josh Adams.

Then came the decisive strike from Lloyd to secure a deserved win.

Cardiff showed six changes in personnel, plus one positional switch, from last weekend’s victory over the Dragons at Rodney Parade.

Lloyd, a summer signing from the Scarlets, linked up with Mulder to form a new half-back pairing, while Harri Millard returned at outside centre.

With Cam Winnett having picked up a groin injury which will keep him out for five weeks, the versatile Jacob Beetham moved from midfield to full-back.

Up front, new Wales squad member Danny Southworth came into the front row along with fellow prop Sebastian, while Taine Basham got the nod on the openside flank.

Edinburgh – who claimed a first URC win of the season last weekend by thumping Benetton 43-0 – were without international wingers Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe who were both ruled out through injury.

It proved to be a highly eventful opening quarter – one which featured no fewer than five tries.

The visitors got things rolling in just the third minute when winger Lewis Wells ran onto a left-footed cross kick from Cammy Scott after Wes Goosen had broken through in midfield.

Cardiff swiftly responded as openside Basham burst down the right touchline and gave a delayed pass to Mulder, with the South African scrum-half cutting inside and breaking the attempted tackle of No 8 Magnus Bradbury to score.

It was then the turn of Edinburgh’s No 9 to strike as Charlie Sheen broke away from a ruck and showed good strength to spin out of a tackle and get the ball down.

The hosts responded once again with the pick of the game’s six tries.

Counter-attacking from their own 22 off a spillage, they moved the ball left with some crisp handling to release Adams down the touchline.

The Wales winger then cut inside and pulled off a one-two with Mulder before sprinting under the posts, with Lloyd converting to level the scores.

It really was a cracking try.

Yet Edinburgh were to move ahead for a third time on 19 minutes when hooker Ewan Ashman spun around to ground the ball after Scott, Liam McConnell and Pierre Schoeman all made good metres.

It was some opening quarter, one that produced 31 points.

Yet, in contrast, the second quarter was to be pointless which meant the visitors led 19-12 at the break.

When play resumed, Cardiff swiftly claimed a third try of their own as tighthead Sebastian scored against his former team-mates.

After Liam Belcher had escaped down the touchline off an attacking lineout, there was a passage of sustained carrying in the opposition 22 which culminated in Sebastian ploughing over from his third involvement in the onslaught.

As the half wore on, the hosts continued to pile on the pressure with the wind at their backs, monopolising possession and territory.

They came tantalisingly close to taking the lead just past the hour mark when Adams had the ball knocked out of his hand as he looked to get it down after 11 phases of attacking. 

With the clock ticking away, it looked as though Cardiff may be denied the all-important win.

But then, seven minutes from time, came the decisive score.

The opportunity was set up by Ben Thomas who put in a tackle on opposing centre Piers O’Conor and got up to win a jackal penalty after chasing a Callum Sheedy up and under.

It was then over to Lloyd who kept his nerve and delivered a terrific strike to bisect the posts and secure the spoils, with scenes of huge jubilation on the final whistle.