RaboDirect PRO12: Treviso pile on the misery for rock-bottom Zebre
Treviso completed a festive double over Zebre with a 26-18 win in their RaboDirect PRO12 derby at the Stadio Monigo.
Last Updated: 29/12/12 4:36pm
Edoardo Gori's touchdown and the accurate boot of Kris Burton - who notched 16 points - eased Treviso into a 19-6 half-time lead.
Luciano Orquera and Gonzalo Garcia kicked the visitors' points in the opening period, but Leonardo Ghiraldini's try sealed the win after the break despite Paolo Buso and Giovanbattista Venditti's late scores for Zebre.
Although the eighth-placed Pro12 side only defeated their Italian rivals 10-3 in the previous encounter a week ago, they were dominant throughout.
And the hosts started this match in equally controlled fashion with Burton kicking an early drop-goal.
He followed that up with another three-pointer as Benetton opened up a 6-0 advantage after eight minutes.
Zebre initially responded well to that setback when a period of pressure ended in Orquera slotting a penalty between the uprights.
But a yellow card to Mauro Bergamasco halted their progress and the home side's stand-off extended the lead.
Gori then scampered over as Treviso asserted their authority on proceedings and, although Garcia briefly reduced the arrears after Ghiraldini had been sin-binned, Burton made the score 19-6 to Franco Smith's men at the break.
The hosts continued to dominate in the second half and their hooker made up for his earlier indiscretion to power across the whitewash.
Buso then touched down to give Zebre a glimmer of hope, but they couldn't find their way to the line again until the very last move of the match when Venditti crossed, Tito Tebaldi converting.