Prop Paul James was the unlikely hero for the Ospreys, scoring a try in each half, to send the Scarlets crashing to a 14-21 Magners League defeat at Parc y Scarlets.
The home side dominated possession and territory in the first half but only held a slender two point lead at the break. Dan Biggar’s boot put the Ospreys in control after the break and the Scarlets were in serious danger of getting nothing out of the match until flanker Johnathan Edwards dived over out wide in the dying seconds to give the Scarlets a losing bonus point.
The win sent the Ospreys to the top of the table while only Connacht stand below the Scarlets in the league.
Both teams were eager to make their make in the Boxing Day Welsh derby. Stephen Jones fluffed his opening lines when he fired a close range penalty wide in the third minute but he made amends two minutes later after his scrum half Martin Roberts squared up to Ospreys second row Alun Wyn Jones.
Sean Lamont bumped off Tommy Bowe with a powerful burst near the touchline while James Hook felt the after effects of another rampaging Scarlets charge early on.
The game was played at a frantic pace but despite the home side dominating the early stages they couldn’t penetrate the Ospreys defence. Dan Bigger had a chance to even things up in the 19th minute but his long range attempt just shaved the wrong side of the uprights.
Bowe broke the Scarlets stranglehold on possession with a diagonal run but Jonathan Davies tackled him and muscled the ball out of his grasp to stifle the Ospreys momentarily.
The Ospreys bounced off the ropes in the 27th minute to deliver a body blow to the Scarlets. From a lineout close to the Scarlets try-line, Paul James scooped up a loose ball after Marty Holah flapped the ball down , to glide through a fractured Scarlets defence to score unopposed. Biggar banged over the conversion to give the Ospreys a 3-7 lead.
Rhys Priestland brought the Scarlets back to within a point with a penalty from halfway. The home side were fortunate to go into the break with their noses ahead when Gareth Owen was harshly adjudged to have deliberately knocked the ball on when tackling Davies in the last act of the half. Jones stepped up to put the Scarlets 9-7 ahead at the break.
The Ospreys attacked with intent from the re-start. They worked their way towards the Scarlets try line before Biggar’s long pass found itself to James who was lurking out on the wing. The burly prop showed a great turn of speed to outstrip the Scarlets defence to score his second try of the match and regain the lead for the Ospreys.
Deacon Manu was penalised for not binding at a scrum to give Biggar a chance of extending the Ospreys lead. He missed the shot at goal but referee Nigel Owens gave him a second opportunity when he pinged Martin Roberts for yelling at the Ospreys fly half during his run-up. Biggar blocked out the boos to send the ball between the uprights to give the visitors a 9-15 lead.
Biggar piled on the misery for the Scarlets with another penalty to jolt the home side into action. The Scarlets went through 10 phases, hammering away at the Ospreys tryline but the men in back held out.
A lack of a cutting edge proved fatal as the Scarlets were repelled and ended up deep inside their own half where the Ospreys superior scrum set up Biggar’s third penalty.
The Scarlets battered away in the dying moments to secure a losing bonus point. It looked like their attempts were going to be in vain, but the battling Edwards ensured the Scarlets didn’t come away empty handed with a try in the last act of the game. With only three Welsh teams qualifying for the Heineken Cup next season, it could prove crucial as they are now just one point behind the Blues.
Scorers: Scarlets: Try – Edwards. Pens – Jones (2), Priestland.
Ospreys: Tries – James (2); Con – Biggar; Pen – Biggar (3).
