Scarlets will take on RC Vannes at Parc y Scarlets next weekend needing a win to qualify for the knockout stages of the EPCR Challenge Cup following a disappointing 31-7 defeat to Gloucester at Kingsholm.
Dwayne Peel’s side created plenty of opportunities, but failed to convert on a number of occasions.
In contrast, the home side had a killer instinct to their attack, scoring five tries to boost their last 16 hopes.
Scarlets didn’t lack in endeavour and kept fighting to the end, while the outstanding travelling support sung throughout.
To compound a challenging night in the West Country, Scarlets lost fly-half Sam Costelow to an early injury.
It was all Gloucester in the opening minutes and after Scarlets failed to clear their lines, scrum-half Caolan Englefield pounced after just four minutes. Half-back partner Santiago Carrera converted.
Scarlets lost Costelow, on his 24th birthday, with the Wales international leaving the field clutching his shoulder after 11 minutes. Ioan Lloyd slotted into the pivot position and Ioan Nicholas came on at full-back.
With inaccuracies littering the Scarlets game early on, Gloucester took advantage with a second try on 17 minutes with flanker Jack Clement touching down from a short-range line-out drive after the West Walians had lost possession on their own throw. Player of the match Carreras added the extras again.
The Scarlets had plenty of chances in a frustrating first half.
A cross-kick from Lloyd almost sat up for Blair Murray, a line-out drive was halted illegally by the home pack, then hooker Marnus van der Merwe was held up under the posts.
But the Scarlets were unable to get on the scoreboard.
Gloucester, on the other hand, were making the most of every attacking opportunity and the challenge got tougher for the visitors on 31 minutes when full-back George Barton finished off in the corner making it 19-0 to the Cherry and Whites.
The Scarlets desperately needed something at the end of the half, but another line-out drive was repelled just before the break.
Gloucester had their bonus-point try 10 minutes after the restart with replacement hooker Seb Blake grabbing a score from another fruitful line-out surge.
Scarlets finally got on the scoresheet on 64 minutes and it needed a piece of sublime invention to open Gloucester’s defence.
A neat kick through by Lloyd was picked up by Taine Plumtree and the back-rower found Eddie James racing up on his inside for a free run to the line. Lloyd converted.
Scarlets came close to a second, but in a moment that summed up their night, the ball was knocked out of the grasp of James a couple of metres out and the flying Christian Wade hacked downfield to win the race to the touchdown. To rub salt into the wounds, Barton added two more points to seal a 31-7 win for the West Country side.
All roads now lead to Llanelli next Saturday for a winner-takes-all clash against French side Vannes in the final round of pool matches.
Gloucester – tries: C. Englefield, J. Clement, G,. Barton, S.Blake, C. Wade. Cons: S. Carreras (2), G. Barton.
Scarlets – try: Eddie James. Con: I. Lloyd
Ioan Lloyd; Ellis Mee, Macs Page, Eddie James, Blair Murray (repl Joe Roberts 67); Sam Costelow (repl Ioan Nicholas 11), Archie Hughes (repl Gareth Davies 51), Kemsley Mathias (repl Alec Hepburn 51), Marnus van der Merwe (repl Shaun Evans 61), Henry Thomas, Alex Craig (repl Sam Lousi 51), Max Douglas, Taine Plumtree, Josh Macleod (capt; repl Jarrod Taylor 57), Vaea Fifita
Attendance; 11,441
Referee: Jeremy Rozier (Fra)