Connacht have the drop on Ospreys

By ROGER PANTING

Ospreys…………. 19pts

Tries: Sutton 3, Morgan-Williams 8, Parry 68 Conversions: Walsh 3, 68

Connacht……….22pts

Tries: Wootton 34, Blade 38, Porch 42 Conversions: Carty 34, 38 Drop-goals: Carty 63

JACK Carty's second-half drop-goal was the decisive score as Connacht rallied from 12-0 down to win an entertaining game in Swansea.

Both sides scored three tries but, on balance, Connacht deserved their win as their pack shaded the battle and allowed Carty and Caolin Blade to kick effectively and so keep Ospreys in check after their blistering start.

On paper Connacht had the stronger line-up as Ospreys were missing over 20 players due to injuries and international call-ups but the hosts will reflect on their inability to hang on to their early lead. As a result Ospreys, like their close Welsh rivals, Scarlets, have only won one of their opening seven league fixtures and both lie in the bottom four of the URC table with daunting trips to South Africa to come.

Still there were a few positives for Ospreys to take from a committed performance. Both centres, Keiran Williams and Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler, emerged with credit on their first games back in action since being injured last March.

Scrum-half, Reuben Morgan-Williams, standing in for the injured Rhys Webb, was instrumental in Ospreys' lightning start but Connacht learnt their lesson and he had few opportunities thereafter.

Jarrad Butler led out Connacht for his 100th appearance but his side were soon 12 points down.

First a chip ahead from Morgan-Williams bounced favourably for Ospreys for Luke Morgan to collect before Huw Sutton capitalised by forcing his way over.

Almost immediately Morgan-Williams was back in the thick of the action by creating and scoring Ospreys' second.

From a ruck 30m out, the alert scrum-half saw the blindside was uncovered to send Williams racing away before the centre's return pass allowed Morgan-Williams to coast in.

The hosts then suffered a setback when Ethan Roots, was yellow carded for a high challenge but the flanker was able to return with no damage done to the scoreboard.

Despite conceding 12 points, the visitors had much the better of territory and possession in the first 30 minutes but inaccuracy in their passing and stubborn defence from the hosts prevented them from benefitting.

Crashing over: Sam Parry scores of Ospreys

PICTURES: Huw Evans

However the Ospreys' defence had to crack and did so when a long pass from Carty provided Alex Wootton with a simple run-in before Connacht suffered an injury blow when Tiernan O'Halloran, limped off.

The Irish region immediately overcame that blow to score their second when centres, Tom Farrell and David Hawkshaw, combined cleverly to split the defence with Blade on hand to pick up and score with Carty's conversion giving his side a 14-12 interval lead.

The second half saw Connacht maintain their momentum and when the home side lost a crucial line-out, John Porch was able to increase their advantage by strolling over. A 30 metre drop-goal from Carty gave Connacht a two-score lead but Ospreys ensured a tight finish when Sam Parry crashed over for their third but they could get no nearer and had to be content with a losing bonus-point.