Ospreys by a whisker

Richard Hibbard: try for Ospreys

Ospreys edged a contest between two under-strength sides to strengthen their grip on second spot in the RaboDirect PRO12.

Tries from Richard Hibbard and Hanno Dirksen, plus a drop goal and a conversion from Dan Biggar, earned the visitors the four points.

Edinburgh led 11-8 at half-time thanks to a try from 21-year-old centre Dougie Fife on his first appearance. They also had three penalties from international fly-half Phil Godman.

The visitors stated their intent in the opening minutes with a series of grubber kicks by Biggar and Andrew Bishop, while James King almost made the breakthrough after charging down an attempted clearance from Chris Leck.

However, the home side weathered that storm and they had an opportunity to set the scoreboard ticking when Biggar was penalised on the edge of the Ospreys 22.

Godman was wide of the target with his kick, but the home number 10 quickly atoned when he sent over a more difficult effort after Ian Gough offended at the breakdown.

And the Scots extended their lead after 18 minutes when Chris Paterson was halted just short of the line but offloaded to Alun Walker, who flipped the ball to Godman and he sent debutant centre Fife in for the try.

Biggar clawed back three points with a neatly executed drop goal and that sparked a period of Ospreys pressure which saw them draw level.

Biggar dispatched a penalty into touch 10 metres from the Edinburgh line and, from the ensuing lineout, a powerful drive pushed Edinburgh back over their line, where Hibbard applied the final touch.

Ascendancy

But Edinburgh ended the first period in the ascendancy and Godman nudged the hosts into a three-point lead at the break when he landed a second penalty after Kahn Fotuali'i was penalised.

Both sides freshened up their teams with Ospreys introducing Alun Wyn Jones for the final half hour and the Scots bringing their new signing Ulises Gamboa into the fray.

And it was the hosts who were next to boost their tally when Godman landed another penalty.

However, Ospreys retaliated with a stunning try by Hanno Dirksen. The winger gathered in his own half, beat off an attempted tackle by Chris Paterson, chipped over the advancing Godman then eluded Tim Visser to dot down under the sticks and leave Biggar a simple conversion.