Gavin Thomas and Nathan Brew went over in each half as the Scarlets won a keenly contested West Wales derby at Stradey Park.
The Ospreys have now won just two of eight games so far in the Magners League and are already facing a major uphill task for the rest of the season if they are to hold onto their Celtic crown.
Coach Lyn Jones knew their title credentials would be decided over the festive period and the Ospreys were thankful to welcome back Wales No.8 Ryan Jones from long-term injury. And it was the British and Irish Lion’s break that led to the opening points of the game for James Hook on 12 minutes after the Scarlets failed to capitalise on Mike Phillips’s early yellow card.
The Wales scrum half brought down Mark Jones after the Scarlets wing kicked ahead inside two minutes, but Stephen Jones struck the post from the resulting penalty. Ironically it was after Phillips had returned that Llanelli breached the Ospreys defence. Field position came from Ian Gough’s dangerous tackle on Morgan Stoddart, Bruce Douglas and Iestyn Thomas edged Llanelli ever closer with the grunt work before flanker Gavin Thomas darted over from close range.
Jones’s conversion was successful but his team were less accurate as the more clinical Ospreys eked out a 9-7 lead by half-time.
The Scarlets had plenty of possession but struggled to come to terms with an aggressive Ospreys defence, while Lee Byrne pressed his case for the Wales number 15 shirt.
Hook landed two more penalties before the break for a 9-7 lead, the first following Byrne’s counter-attack, the second after Vernon Cooper was sin binned for an infringement at a ruck just before the break.
The Scarlets survived the ten minutes down to 14 men thanks to Stephen Jones who weighed in with a try-saving tackle on Aled Brew before kicking his side into the lead on 48 minutes. That lead grew within a matter of seconds when Brew beat two men on his way to Llanelli’s second try.
Regan King was first to react after Jonathan Thomas spilled possession deep inside his own half, the centre spotting Brew who blasted past Byrne and Mark Taylor to score. Hook narrowed the lead to seven points with a fourth penalty before the Ospreys turned to their bench to save the game in the final ten minutes.
Justin Marshall almost made an immediate impact with his break but Alun Wyn Jones was hauled down short of the line. Moments later Andrew Bishop knocked on with the line at his mercy – which summed up the Ospreys’ night.
