Ulster suffer rare home defeat

Ulster 12 Ospreys 20

The Ospreys continued their good recent record against Ulster with a hard-fought Celtic League victory at Ravenhill which saw the visitors score the only try of the game through Jason Spice.

Both sides were depleted due to injuries and international call-ups, but it was the Ospreys who coped better with the poor weather conditions.

Out-half Shaun Connor opened the scoring with a penalty after his Ulster counterpart, Paddy Wallace, had spurned an opportunity for the home side.

Wallace levelled the scores after the Welsh side were penalised for holding on at a ruck, but O’Connor restored the visitors’ lead when the Ulster front row conceded a penalty for boring in at a scrum.

Former All-Black Paul Steinmetz took over the kicking duties for the home side and levelled the game two minutes before half-time as the visitors were penalised for holding on in the tackle under their own posts.

From the restart, the Osprey forwards drove deep into the Ulster 22 and forced a penalty, which O’Connor slotted over to give his side a three point lead at the interval.

Steinmetz levelled the scores for a third time on 57 minutes after good drags from Andy Maxwell, Ryan Caldwell and Isaac Boss came to nothing.

The Ospreys were gifted the only try of the game on 59 minutes as scrum-half Spice cleaned up a scrappy scrum and made a break down the line.

He chipped over the defence, but came out second best in a foot race with Campbell Feather, but the Ulster flanker was unable to control the ball on the wet surface, and Spice took advantage by getting the touchdown.

Steinmetz reduced the visitors’ lead to two points with his third successful penalty, but it was the Ospreys who finished the stronger.

Connor was gifted three more points when Maxwell was caught offside, and the visitors’ out-half sealed victory in injury time with a drop goal.