Ospreys (17) 27
Tries: Edwards (2), J Morgan Cons: Edwards (3) Pens: Edwards (2)
Scarlets (5) 20
Tries: Douglas, Plumtree, Murray Con: Hawkins Pen: Hawkins
In a game filled with heated emotion, a brace of first-half tries from Wales fly-half Dan Edwards had put the home side in the ascendancy at the break, despite lock Max Douglas responding for Scarlets, whose indiscipline would cost them dear.
After seeing both centre Joe Roberts and prop Kelmsley Mathias sent to the sin bin in the first 40, the Scarlets, back to full quota for the second period, would come back to the field fighting.
Wales internationals Taine Plumtree and Blair Murray exposing Ospreys defensive frailties to put the visitors ahead for the first time midway through the second half.
But Scarlets would be once again punished for a series of missed kicks from fly-half Joe Hawkins, as Ospreys captain Morgan would take the game by the scruff of the neck to land the decisive try in the final ten minutes.
The late show sealing Ospreys a derby double against the West Wallians after their Boxing Day victory in Llanelli and the success also ensuring they moved above Cardiff to claim the Welsh Shield.
After a turbulent year of off-field instability in Welsh regional rugby, the Ospreys came into the game looking for a fitting home send-off to the departing trio of Morgan, Dewi Lake, and Jack Walsh.
Whilst Lake’s departure to Gloucester had been less than perfect after a season-ending injury cut short his farewell, the Wales hooker would have enjoyed the nature of the fiercely contested scrap that unfolded at the Ospreys temporary home, before the much-anticipated move to St Helens next season.
For visitors, Scarlets, a sense of pride would be on the line to avoid being the lowest positioned Welsh region after a disappointing season of near misses had resulted in just four league victories in the campaign and an early exit from Europe.
It would be the home side that would get off to the perfect start, scoring after just seven minutes. Edwards, the beneficiary of scrum-half Kieran Hardy’s offload after a swift move that carved open a gap in the visiting defense, before gleefully going over.
After soaking up the early pressure, Scarlets’ response would be swift, with lock Douglas dotting down from close range to make it 7-5 after a burst by influential number eight Fletcher Anderson.
It was the visitors’ poor discipline that led to Ospreys moving into a position of dominance at the break, though in an error-strewn derby.
After an Edwards penalty put Mark Jones’ men 10-5 up, Scarlets centre Roberts was yellow-carded for a dangerous tackle on Morgan Morris, whilst Mathias would shortly join him in the sin bin for persistent infringing.
Ospreys capitalised, striking against 14 men, with Edwards being worked in down the left to exploit the gap in the corner, but missed the opportunity to twist the knife against 13 after the fly-half failed to find touch with a penalty shortly before the interval.
Scarlets, still two men down, returned with renewed impetus and struck first with a Hawkins penalty after the restart, and then rallied with the numbers levelled after Ospreys lock Ryan Smith saw yellow for killing the ball in the ruck.
The visitors capitalised after a spell of pressure to make it 17-13 with Plumtree reaching over from close range just seconds after a superb Owen Watkin tackle had prevented Wales teammate Eddie James from going over.
Watkin then produced an equally impressive ankle tap to prevent wing Macs Page going through for the lead but there was no denying Murray when he crossed down the left in the 56th minute after a botched Ospreys line-out and huge carry by replacement prop Josh Morse.
Back to full quotas on either side, both sides pushed for the decisive score. It would be the Ospreys, though, who would snatch the winner with captain fantastic Morgan showing desire and power to muscle over.
Edwards would convert to the wild celebrations of the Bridgend crowd to give the home side a slender 24-20 lead with five to play.
Scarlets would valiantly attempt to respond, but it would come to no avail as another late loss in a frustrating season would be endured, with Edwards running down the clock with a penalty for a 22-point haul.
Ospreys XV:
15 Jack Walsh, 14 Iestyn Hopkins, 13 Owen Watkin, 12 Kieran Williams, 11 Luke Morgan, 10 Dan Edwards, 9 Kieran Hardy
1 Steff Thomas, 2 Sam Parry, 3 Tom Botha, 4 Rhys Davies, 5 Ryan Smith, 6 James Ratti, 7 Jac Morgan (captain), 8 Morgan Morris.
Replacements:
16.Lewis Lloyd, 17. Garyn Phillips, 18. Ben Warren, 19. Hugh Sutton , 20. Ross Moriarty, 21. Reuben Morgan-Williams,
22. Keelan Giles, 23. Evardi Boshoff.
Scarlets XV:
15 Blair Murray; 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Eddie James, 11 Macs Page; 10 Joe Hawkins, 9 Dane Blacker
1 Kemsley Mathias, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Henry Thomas, 4 Jac Price, 5 Max Douglas, 6 Taine Plumtree, 7 Josh Macleod (captain), 8 Fletcher Anderson.
Replacements:
16 Harry Thomas, 17 Josh Morse, 18 Harri O’Connor, 19 Dan Davis, 20 Jarrod Taylor, 21 Archie Hughes, 22 Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, 23 Ioan Jones.
[Lead image: Ospreys Rugby]
