Dragons slain by Ospreys
Fri, 25 Apr 2008 23:28
The Ospreys moved ten points clear of the Newport Gwent Dragons in the Magners League table as they beat their Welsh rivals 16-3 at Liberty Stadium in Swansea on Friday - despite losing flying wing Shane Williams to injury.
The two sides do meet again on May 6, but this result in all probability condemns the Dragons to, at best, a play-off for a Heineken Cup place.
The biggest news to come out of the match was the injury to the British and Irish Lions flyer, Williams, who went into the game with his right thigh heavily strapped. He was forced to come off just past the half-hour mark.
The Dragons were forced into a late change at flyhalf, when Blues-bound Ceri Sweeney pulled out before the kick-off with a rib injury. He was replaced by 18-year-old debutant Jason Tovey.
Rhodri Gomer Davies was also stretchered off, with what seemed a serious neck injury on a dark day for the Dragons, but the Dragons centre soon recovered.
At the other end of the scale Adam Black was making his 100th Magners League appearance.
Tovey gave the Dragons the lead on eight minutes, with a penalty after the Ospreys had gone offside on their 22.
But James Hook levelled the score at 3-all three minutes later from a similar offence right in front of the posts.
Tovey had to watch as a fine drop-goal attempt rebounded off the right upright.
The Ospreys seemed to have a certain try when Lee Byrne attempted to pass out to Jonny Vaughton on the left wing, but Dragons fullback Kevin Morgan deliberately knocked on.
Hook missed the resulting penalty goal attempt and was wayward with a second two minutes later.
Soon after Williams was forced to limp off, Dragons openside flank Richard Parks was sin-binned for tackling opposite number Marty Holah without the ball.
In first half injury-time Hook found his range with a penalty from a Dragons scrum offence, which saw the home side lead 6-3 at the interval.
The best chance of a try came for the Ospreys five minutes after the break, but Vaughton hit the left corner flag before going over.
And the home side thought the impressive Lee Byrne had grabbed the first try but the referee had blown up for a serious injury to Dragons centre Paul Gomer-Davies, who appeared to have been knocked out attempting a tackle on Filo Tiatia.
The game was held up for 12 minutes while Gomer-Davies was stretchered off.
A snap Justin Marshall drop-goal gave the Ospreys a 9-3 lead, before Luke Charteris became the second Dragons forward to get a yellow card after a late tackle on Hook.
The only try of the game arrived on 71 minutes, when Brew breezed in on the right - but it was a controversial score as Hook's pass to Byrne in the lead up looked to be two yards forward.
After the final whistle Dragons coach Paul Turner attempted to remonstrate with referee Tim Hayes about the forward pass.
The scorers:
For Ospreys:
Try: Brew
Con: Hook
Pens: Hook 2
DG: Marshall
For Dragons:
Pen: Tovey
Yellow cards: Richard Parks (Newport Gwent Dragons, 31 - foul play, tackling the man without the ball), Luke Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons, 58 - foul play, high tackle)
The teams:
Ospreys: 15 Lee Byrne, 14 Johnny Vaughton, 13 Sonny Parker, 12 Andrew Bishop, 11 Shane Williams, 10 James Hook, 9 Justin Marshall, 8 Ryan Jones (captain), 7 Marty Holah, 6 Filo Tiatia, 5 Alun-Wyn Jones, 4 Ian Gough, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Paul James.
Replacements: 16 Huw Bennett, 17 Duncan Jones, 18 Ian Evans, 19 Jonathan Thomas, 20 Gareth Owen, 21 Jonathan Spratt, 22 Aled Brew.
Newport Gwent Dragons: 15 Kevin Morgan,
14 Gareth Wyatt, 13 Paul Emerick, 12 Rhodri Gomer Davies, 11 Richard Mustoe, 10 Jason Tovey, 9 Andy Williams, 8 Joe Bearman, 7 Richard Parks, 6 Colin Charvis (captain), 5 Luke Charteris, 4 Andrew Hall, 3 Rhys Thomas, 2 Ben Daly, 1 Adam Black.
Replacements: 16 Steve Jones, 17 Lee Harrison, 18 Michael Owen, 19 Lewis Evans, 20 Aled Thomas, 21 Phillip Dollman, 22 Wayne Evans.
Referee: Tim Hayes (Wales)
