Ospreys flying high
The Ospreys stretched their winning start to the season to four games with a 32-14 win over previously unbeaten Ulster.
Last Updated: 25/09/11 7:43pm
The Ospreys stretched their winning start to the season to four games to move up to second in the RaboDirect Pro 12 table with a 32-14 victory over previously unbeaten Ulster at Liberty Stadium.
Dan Biggar's six penalities provided the backbone for the win, which was made all the more impressive with a penalty try and a try from Richard Fussell in the second half.
Ulster had made the early running catching Ospreys cold with a try after only three minutes.
A long pass from scrum-half Paul Marshall sent Paddy Jackson over after he ran between Biggar and Andrew Bishop. Jackson, in at outside-half for the injured Ian Humphreys, converted to give Ulster a 7-0 lead.
Rebounded
The Ospreys had a chance to get on the scoreboard almost immediately but Biggar's penalty kick, awarded for not releasing at a ruck, rebounded off a post and Ulster were able to clear.
Jackson was also off target with his first penalty shot from the halfway line after the Ospreys scrum was penalised by Irish referee Dudley Phillips.
But on 11 minutes the Ulster scrum was penalised for standing up after a strong push from the Ospreys pack. From 35 metres Biggar kicked his side onto the scoreboard.
The Ospreys were penalised at a scrum resulting in hooker Richard Hibbard being sin-binned.
But, despite being down to 14 men, Ospreys responded with two Biggar penalties on 26 and 31 minutes to give them a 9-7 lead.
Ulster continued to concede penalties as Biggar struck a fourth kick to take the Ospreys into a 12-7 lead on 34 minutes.
Ulster had a golden opportunity to claim a second try when Jackson found wing Craig Gilroy with a neat cross-kick but supporting lock Dan Tuohy knocked forward.
The Ospreys came out after the break with a positive intent and threatened to score their first try. But, after going through the phases, Biggar attempted a drop-goal which went wide of the mark.
Biggar made up for his miss with a fifth penalty goal on 48 minutes after Ulster No8 Robbie Diack was sin-binned for not rolling away from a tackle right in front of his posts.
Elusive
The Ospreys were putting some rugby together which was very pleasing on the eye but a try remained elusive as Tom James put a foot in touch.
After a series of scrums on the Ulster five-metre line the Ospreys were eventually awarded a penalty try to take them into a 22-7 lead on the hour mark.
That lead was extended to 18 points when Biggar put over his sixth penalty after Ulster erred offside just outside their 22.
A mix-up in Ulster's defence allowed Richard Fussell to pounce for the Ospreys' second try on 72 minutes.
Three minutes from time the referee awarded Ulster a penalty try after the Ospreys were penalised for hands in a ruck on the line.
