[tag=image]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/f ... spreys.gif[/tag][tag=content]Ulster moved up to second in the RaboDirect Pro12 with a gritty 10-7 win over the Ospreys at Ravenhill in what can only be described as appalling conditions.
In gusting wind and driving rain, Ulster won the game through a Darren Cave try early in the second half and had a further two chalked off by TMO Marshall Kilgore.
The visitors scored all their points in the first eleven minutes as openside flanker Sam Lewis crossed for an early try, but they could not breach the Ulster line again, despite numerous line breaks.
Even though the conditions were poor, the game was actually rather exciting and that was emphasised by the Ospreys’ early attacking intent as they looked to gain the upper hand early on, and but for a Ruan Pienaar charge down, Matthew Morgan would have landed an early drop goal.
His side didn’t have to wait long to break the deadlock though and after some incredible handling from captain Jonathan Spratt and Tyler Ardron in the midfield, Sam Lewis found the space to cross for the Ospreys’ only points of the game.
Stunned into action by their visitors’ rapid start to the game, Ulster began to attack themselves, although the testing wind was proving to be difficult, as highlighted by Pienaar kicking for touch instead of going for goal inside the Ospreys half.
Had Ulster’s finishing been better then they may have scored a try of their own soon after as first Pienaar was held up over the line and then Michael Allen dropped the ball in the process of scoring in the corner from the following scrum.
Instead the hosts had to settle for a solitary Pienaar penalty to show for their efforts after try scorer Lewis was caught not rolling away at a ruck.
Although it was Ulster who did most of the pressing, neither side made any significant inroads into the opposition half, and after a rather fortuitous decision from TMO Kilgore that Michael Allen had made a tackle without using his hands, full-back Sam Davies passed up a good opportunity to extend the Ospreys’ lead to seven.
On the stroke of half-time Ulster managed to win a penalty from a scrum just inside the Ospreys half, however this time Pienaar pushed his effort to the right of the posts and the score remained 7-3.
It wasn’t that way for long as after the break it took just three minutes for centre Darren Cave to find a gap in the Ospreys defence and brush off two challenges to dot down for Ulster’s only try of the game, converted by Pienaar.
With the wind picking up and the rain falling heavier, both sides resorted to a kicking game, aiming to force errors from their opposition and gain field position. However, both full-backs were solid under the high ball and no ground was gained.
The introduction of Ireland internationals Luke Marshall and Iain Henderson seemed to tip the scales in Ulster’s favour, but the Ospreys brought on their internationals too: Wales prop Ryan Bevington and Italian scrum-half Tito Tebaldi who was back after injury.
With fifty-four minutes played, Pienaar managed to charge down Tebaldi and gather the kick before offloading to Henderson who charged over for what appeared to be Ulster’s second try, only for the TMO to chalk this one off too, as an Ospreys hand appeared to place the ball down, not an Ulster one.
Ulster appeared happy to kick the ball at most opportunities to test the Ospreys back three, but the men from Swansea were determined to run the ball back, and they continued to make frequent line breaks, spearheaded by man-of-the-match Joe Bearman.
And substitute Richard Fussell was guilty of spurning a great opportunity for a match winning try late on, ignoring the outside run of Eli Walker in a two-on-one situation and taking the ball on himself instead, only to spill it forward in the tackle.
With the clock in the red the Ospreys threw everything they had at the Ulstermen, but this time the white wall of defence held firm and an up-and-under from Tebaldi was easily gathered by the impressive Ricky Andrew, handing Ulster the victory.
The win moves Ulster up two places to second, one point ahead of the Ospreys and Leinster in third and fourth respectively. They face the Scarlets next Friday at Ravenhill, and they will be hoping for much better weather than what they got tonight!
The scorers
For Ulster
Try: Cave
Pen: Pienaar
Con: Pienaar
For Ospreys
Try: Lewis
Con: Davies
ULSTER RUGBY
(15-9) Ricky Andrew, Craig Gilroy, Jared Payne (Luke Marshall 54), Darren Cave, Michael Allen (Rory Scholes 77), James McKinney (Paul Marshall 60), Ruan Pienaar; (1-8) Tom Court (Callum Black 65), Rob Herring, John Afoa, Johann Muller, Lewis Stevenson (Iain Henderson 40), Robbie Diack (Nick Williams 60), Sean Doyle, Roger Wilson.
Subs not used: Niall Annett, Ricky Lutton.
OSPREYS
(15-9) Sam Davies, Jeff Hassler (Eli Walker 66 (Morgan Allen 79)), Jonathan Spratt, Ashley Beck, Aisea Natoga, Matthew Morgan (Richard Fussell 75), Tom Habberfield (Tito Tebaldi 45); (1-8) Duncan Jones (Ryan Bevington 48), Scott Baldwin (Matthew Dwyer 75), Aaron Jarvis (Dan Suter 61), Lloyd Peers, Perry Parker (Dan Baker 53), Tyler Ardron, Sam Lewis, Joe Bearman.
Man of the Match: Joe Bearman (Ospreys)
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU)[/tag]
Match Report: Ulster Rugby 10-7 Ospreys
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