Derby joy for Ospreys
The Ospreys overcame a sluggish first-half display to boost their chances of a home tie in the play-offs with a 33-12 victory at Cardiff.
Last Updated: 14/04/12 9:42pm
The Ospreys overcame a sluggish first-half display to boost their chances of a home tie in the RaboDirect PRO12 play-offs with a 33-12 victory at Welsh rivals Cardiff.
Although the final scoreline had an emphatic look, it needed three tries in the final quarter to clinch victory for the Swansea-based region.
Having endured plenty of unwanted headlines in recent weeks, the Blues showed welcome commitment to go in 12-6 up at half-time.
Leigh Halfpenny opened the scoring with a monster penalty which crept in off a post, but the hosts lost centre Gavin Evans to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on and Dan Biggar, on his 100th appearance for the Ospreys, added further punishment as he landed the resulting penalty.
The kick was his 12th success in a row but the 22-year-old missed his next attempt, before again responding after Halfpenny had put the Blues back in front.
Dominated by the boot
The Wales full-back slotted over another as the boot continued to dominate and he added a fourth before the interval after Ospreys had wastefully squandered possession.
But the visitors, no doubt on the receiving end of a dressing-room ear-bashing, showed greater urgency after the restart and Joe Bearman broke the Blues' defence only for the ball to be lost forward.
But referee George Clancy gave the visitors a helping hand when he yellow carded a second Blues player, fly-half Ceri Sweeney, for a deliberate knock-on - the decision appearing a harsh one.
Biggar showed no sympathy with his opposite number, kicking the simple penalty, and quickly levelled the scores with another when Blues debutant Luke Hamilton held on.
Finally the crowd were lifted by a try shortly after the hour, although home fans were left to rue the fact that it was Ospreys captain Alun-Wyn Jones storming through some tentative tackling to reach the line, Biggar adding the extras.
Prop Adam Jones soon crossed for a second, bursting over from a ruck, and Biggar further extended the lead.
The Ospreys wrapped things up when replacement number eight Tom Smith touched down for a pushover try in the last minute and Biggar once again converted.
