ALLEN Clarke praised the character of his Ospreys side as they overcame a stubborn Dragons outfit to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions Cup.
The Ospreys were inspired by their superb full-back Dan Evans who ran in four tries with Luke Price and Sam Davies kicking nine points between them.
Ceri Jones’ Dragons scored two tries of their own courtesy of Rhodri Williams and Cardiff Blues-bound Hallam Amos while Jason Tovey kicked ten points in a defeat that leaves them rooted to the foot of Conference B.
“We have to win our three remaining games to qualify for Europe”, said Clarke. “The boys have fronted up and shown tremendous commitment throughout a difficult period for us as a region.
“It is a fantastic achievement to score four tries in a game and Dan was excellent for us.
“We felt our attack was excellent at times today.
Despite being behind at half-time we had dominated the game.
“We recognised that if we played in the right areas, improved our accuracy and played with more energy then we felt it was a game we would win. When we scored early in the second-half you could see the belief flow into us.
“I thought we deserved to win this game and we probably should have won by more.”
The Ospreys opened the scoring with Olly Cracknell putting them on the front foot as he raced towards the try line. Cracknell was eventually hauled down but the ball was recycled for Evans to cross at the far right-hand corner.
The home side were camped in the visiting 22 and a second try looked inevitable. But Justin Tipuric’s pass was intercepted by Williams who ran in unopposed from 70 metres out with Tovey converting to level the scores.
Jones’ side began to enjoy some territory and possession with Tovey putting them into the lead with a straightforward penalty from in front of the posts.
With the Ospreys pinned back near their own 22 a wild pass from Owen Watkin was intercepted by Amos who touched down for the Dragons’ second try.
Price knocked over a penalty for the hosts after the Dragons were penalised at the scrum meaning the Ospreys trailed 17-10 at the interval.
Clarke’s men came out firing in the second-half with Evans claiming his second score courtesy of a well-timed miss pass from Watkin. The Ospreys now had the bit between their teeth with the Dragons struggling to cope with their pack.
Evans claimed a hattrick as he hit a tremendous line off a welltimed pass from winger Luke Morgan – who this week re-signed for the Ospreys – to slice open the Dragons defence and score with Price converting.
And with the Dragons defence on the back foot the ball was moved through the hands for Evans to score his fourth try against his former side with Davies kicking a touchline conversion.
Dragons’ interim head coach Ceri Jones was cut a frustrated figure and insists this was a game they should have won.
He said: “It was a game we could have won.
“I thought we were in control for parts. We weren’t as good as we wanted to be at the start of the game but we came back into it well.
“It’s just frustrating we couldn’t get over the line.”The Ospreys were inspired by their superb full-back Dan Evans who ran in four tries with Luke Price and Sam Davies kicking nine points between them.
Ceri Jones’ Dragons scored two tries of their own courtesy of Rhodri Williams and Cardiff Blues-bound Hallam Amos while Jason Tovey kicked ten points in a defeat that leaves them rooted to the foot of Conference B.
“We have to win our three remaining games to qualify for Europe”, said Clarke. “The boys have fronted up and shown tremendous commitment throughout a difficult period for us as a region.
“It is a fantastic achievement to score four tries in a game and Dan was excellent for us.
“We felt our attack was excellent at times today.
Despite being behind at half-time we had dominated the game.
“We recognised that if we played in the right areas, improved our accuracy and played with more energy then we felt it was a game we would win. When we scored early in the second-half you could see the belief flow into us.
“I thought we deserved to win this game and we probably should have won by more.”
The Ospreys opened the scoring with Olly Cracknell putting them on the front foot as he raced towards the try line. Cracknell was eventually hauled down but the ball was recycled for Evans to cross at the far right-hand corner.
The home side were camped in the visiting 22 and a second try looked inevitable. But Justin Tipuric’s pass was intercepted by Williams who ran in unopposed from 70 metres out with Tovey converting to level the scores.
Jones’ side began to enjoy some territory and possession with Tovey putting them into the lead with a straightforward penalty from in front of the posts.
With the Ospreys pinned back near their own 22 a wild pass from Owen Watkin was intercepted by Amos who touched down for the Dragons’ second try.
Price knocked over a penalty for the hosts after the Dragons were penalised at the scrum meaning the Ospreys trailed 17-10 at the interval.
Clarke’s men came out firing in the second-half with Evans claiming his second score courtesy of a well-timed miss pass from Watkin. The Ospreys now had the bit between their teeth with the Dragons struggling to cope with their pack.
Evans claimed a hattrick as he hit a tremendous line off a welltimed pass from winger Luke Morgan – who this week re-signed for the Ospreys – to slice open the Dragons defence and score with Price converting.
And with the Dragons defence on the back foot the ball was moved through the hands for Evans to score his fourth try against his former side with Davies kicking a touchline conversion.
Dragons’ interim head coach Ceri Jones was cut a frustrated figure and insists this was a game they should have won.
He said: “It was a game we could have won.
“I thought we were in control for parts. We weren’t as good as we wanted to be at the start of the game but we came back into it well.
“It’s just frustrating we couldn’t get over the line.”
TEAMS
OSPREYS: Evans 9; Dirksen 6, Allen 6, Watkin 6 (M Aubrey 78), K Giles 6 (Morgan 75, 5); Price 6 (S Davies 56, 6), A Davies 6; Smith 8 (Lay 75, 5), Baldwin 7 (Otten 64, 6), Botha 8 (Fia 57, 7), Beard 8 (Ashley 75, 5), B Davies 8, Cracknell 8 (Cross 77, 6), Tipuric 6, King 6 (S Cross 41-50)
DRAGONS: J Williams 6; Rosser 6, Morgan 5 (Howells 36, 5), Sage 6, Amos 7; Tovey 7 (Lewis 64, 5), R Williams 8 (Knoyle 64, 5); Harris 4 (Reynolds 75, 5), Hibbard 5 (Lawrence 41, 6), Brown 4 (Fairbrother 64), Williams 5 (Davies 56, 5), Screech 5, Wainwright 6, Basham 6, Moriarty 6 (Greggains 78, 4)
REFEREE: Nigel Owens
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