Dramatic win for Ospreys against Connacht

PRO14 REPORT: Dan Evans went over with the final play of the game to give Ospreys a dramatic 22-17 win over Connacht at Morganstone Brewery Field.

The Welsh region – in the first league game at the ground since 2004 – looked to have wrapped up victory by the hour mark in Bridgend.

A quickfire first-half double from Keelan Giles put them 10-3 to the good at the break and then Harri Morgan went over to put them seemingly out of sight in the second half.

But Connacht refused to roll over and late tries from Bundee Aki and Jarrad Butler, both nervelessly converted by Jack Carty, levelled up the scores at 17-17.

And it looked like it would stay that way until Cory Allen’s magnificent break up the middle saw him hauled down just short of the line, but the loose ball was ruled knocked forward by Connacht by the TMO and Evans was on hand to dive over and seal Ospreys’ ninth home win on the spin.

Connacht’s record in the Pro1414 this season could not be more uniform – lost, won, lost, won, lost, won – and they have not won successive games in the Championship for almost twelve months.

But after their historic win in Belfast over Ulster last time out in the league – their first win there since 1960 – they arrived in Bridgend full of confidence.

But that did not last long as Giles got free down the left in the third minute after being fed by Lloyd Ashley, kicked ahead and regathered in slippery conditions to dot down.

Sam Davies missed the extras but soon after and Giles was at it again, this time Davies – who kicked superbly in the first half – laid it on a plate for him with a cross-field effort and the youngster had his second.

Again Davies was off with the extras and the Ospreys were just 10-0 to the good but Connacht got on the board before the quarter-hour mark as Carty chipped over a scruffy drop goal.

And 10-3 was how it stayed until the interval as the Irish province – with internationals like Aki and Quinn Roux restored to their line-up – battled hard.

Replacement Colby Fainga’a was introduced early and also made a real impact but the Welsh side went in at the break seven points to the good.

The hosts’ hopes of victory slimmed on the resumption however, when Rob McCusker saw yellow for a high shot.

But the 14 men held out impressively – Carty wayward with his kicking from hand – and actually grabbed their third try while still at a numerical disadvantage.

Allen was the creator with an incisive break down the right and Morgan – on his Pro14 debut – took the pass on the inside to go over.

Davies added the extras and at 17-3 the home side were in charge heading into the final quarter.

Connacht’s pressure did finally pay off though when Aki joined a driving maul and forced his way over – Carty converting to make it 17-10.

Ill discipline was undoing the hosts and when a second line-out drive from Connacht went close, the ball was moved left and Butler burrowed over.

Carty again arrowed over the conversion to level up the scores but then the Ospreys struck in dramatic fashion.

Conan O’Donnell looked like he had hauled down Allen and saved his side, but the TMO judged the ball had been knocked on by the replacement and with advantage being played, Evans’ quick thinking to pick up and score was rewarded.

Davies missed the extras again but the Ospreys could celebrate a bonus-point win against their Conference B rivals.

The scorers:

For Ospreys:
Tries: Giles 2, Morgan, Evans
Con: Davies

For Connacht:
Tries: Aki, Butler
Cons: Carty 2
DG: Carty

Yellow card: Rob McCusker (Ospreys, 45 – foul play, high tackle)

Teams:

Ospreys: 15 Dan Evans, 14 Hanno Dirksen, 13 Cory Allen, 12 Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler, 11 Keelan Giles, 10 Sam Davies, 9 Harri Morgan, 8 Rob McCusker, 7 Olly Cracknell (captain), 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 James King, 4 Lloyd Ashley, 3 Tom Botha, 2 Scott Otten, 1 Rhodri Jones.
Replacements: 16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Gareth Thomas, 18 Alex Jeffries, 19 James Ratti, 20 Guido Volpi, 21 Matthew Aubrey, 22 James Hook, 23 Tom Williams.

Connacht: 15 Tiernan O’Halloran, 14 Niyi Adeolokun, 13 Tom Farrell, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Cian Kelleher, 10 Jack Carty, 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 Paul Boyle, 7 Jarrad Butler (captain), 6 Sean O’Brien, 5 Quinn Roux, 4 Ultan Dillane, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Tom McCartney, 1 Denis Buckley.
Replacements: 16 Shane Delahunt, 17 Conan O’Donnell, 18 Conor Carey, 19 James Cannon, 20 Colby Fainga’a, 21 Caolin Blade, 22 Conor Fitzgerald, 23 Kyle Godwin.

Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Sam Grove-White (Scotland), Mike English (Wales)
TMO: Neil Paterson (Scotland)

@PRO14Official