Llanelli maintain title hopes

Llanelli 28 Neath-Swansea Ospreys 15

Two tries from full-back Barry Davies ensured Llanelli maintained their Celtic League title challenge in front of a near-capacity crowd at Stradey Park.

The largest attendance in Wales this season, 10,195, watched an incident-packed first derby clash between the two new regions.

Scott Quinnell’s late try also gave the Scarlets a bonus point as they eventually fought off a spirited challenge from the visitors.

Fly-half Shaun Connor gave the Ospreys a ninth-minute lead after the Scarlets strayed offside in midfield, but the home response was immediate.

Great build-up play stretched the visitors from one side of the field to the other and it was Davies who eventually crossed in the corner in the 12th minute.

Fly-half Gareth Bowen converted, but two Connor penalties then nudged the Ospreys ahead going into first-half injury time.

However, the game turned on a bizarre second try for the Scarlets. A speculative drop-goal by Davies was heading well wide only for it to bounce perfectly into the path of Salesi Finau on the opposite side of the field who then found centre Matthew Watkins on his outside to race in unopposed.

It came after Ospreys scrum-half Andy Williams had been sin-binned for killing the ball in the shadow of his own posts.

Both sides missed great scoring opportunities early in the second period with a break by lively flanker Richie Pugh going unrewarded for the Ospreys.

Scarlets openside Simon Easterby then became the next to see yellow for slowing the ball down at a ruck and when Connor landed his fifth success, the Ospreys sensed a possible victory.

However, a 63rd-minute Bowen penalty eased the home nerves as the Scarlets brought British Lions Quinnell, Robin McBryde and Mark Taylor off the bench.

A superb break by Watkins was followed by an even better pass to Davies who raced in for his second of the night, then Quinnell’s score sealed matters late on to condemn the Ospreys to their seventh consecutive defeat.