Scarlets 19-26 Ospreys: Mark Jones’ side prove too strong for the Turks

Scarlets …………..19pts

Tries: Roberts 35, 69; Taylor 80

Conversions: Hawkins 36, 80

Ospreys ………….. 26pts

Tries: Watkin 24, Lake 29, Hardy 63, Hopkins 77

Conversions: Edwards 25, 30, 64

Ospreys claimed a bonus point victory in the west Wales Boxing Day derby to move off the bottom of the URC table – a position now occupied by the Scarlets.

Despite having two players yellow-carded, they outscored their arch rivals by four tries to three, with replacement wing Iestyn Hopkins sealing the bonus three minutes from time.

Ospreys head coach Mark Jones said: “I am really pleased for the boys. I thought they honoured the shirt well.

“We know we can play better, but the most important thing was showing who we are as characters and winning and we did both those things.”

Match action

In front of a crowd of 12,105, it was the Scarlets who dominated the opening quarter and they were handed an apparent advantage when centre Keiran Williams was sin-binned for a deliberate slap down.

Despite going down to 14 men, the visitors struck first against the run of play on 24 minutes as Kieran Hardy’s miss-pass sent Williams’ centre partner Owen Watkin under the posts after Ross Moriarty had driven to the line.

Then, straight after Williams returned to the pitch, they doubled their lead with another converted try as hooker Dewi Lake broke off a lineout drive to touch down.

Shortly before the break, slick hands from the Scarlets backs saw wing Joe Roberts go over in the left corner to cut the interval deficit to 14-7.

Sliding home: Iestyn Hopkins scores the decisive try for Ospreys

PICTURES: Alamy

Second half

After a scoreless third quarter, Ospreys increased their buffer as Morgan Morris pulled off a switch with Hopkins and Jack Walsh gave the inside scoring pass to scrum-half Hardy.

They went down to 14 for a second time after another deliberate knock-on, with winger Keelan Giles sent to the sin bin, and the Scarlets made them pay as Joe Hawkins fired a long pass for Roberts to claim his second.

In the closing stages, the hosts then picked up a yellow card when officials punished flanker Max Douglas for dropping a knee onto Walsh’s head.

Moments later, Ospreys wrapped up the win and the bonus point as Hopkins gathered Dan Edwards’ cross-field kick on the bounce and touched down in the left corner.

The game ended with Scarlets replacement Jarrod Taylor forcing his way over for a consolation try that secured a losing bonus point.