A late try from No.8 Morgan Allen helped the Ospreys to a late 33-27 win over Gloucester at the Liberty Stadium for the opening round of the LV Cup.
The Cherry and Whites thought they clinched it with two tries in the last ten minutes from prop Dan Murphy before being awarded a penalty try four minutes from time.
But Allen rampaging run in the visitors’ 22 soon after eventually handed a deserved win to the Pro12 champions.
The first half was evenly matched with the Ospreys, led by young captain Sam Lewis, dominating the breakdown, and Gloucester having control in the set piece.
As a result, none could put their game in place but once the weather conditions worsened, the Ospreys kicking game was much more effective and Gloucester’s discipline stopped any momentum they had going.
Billy Burns, 18, and Matthew Morgan, 20, exchanged penalties, and a drop goal in the Welshman’s case, early but the Ospreys started to concede to many penalties and lock James King was sent to the bin for infringing at the breakdown seconds after referee David Rose warned the two captains.
The Cherry and Whites took advantage straight away when the front row combined well to see hooker Tommaso D’Apice offload to Yann Thomas and send the prop over the line.
Burns added the extras from the touchline and the English side were leading 13-6.
But the hosts managed to somehow comeback into the game with another drop goal and penalty from Morgan before he eventually put his side in the lead on the last play of the half with his fifth successful kick of the game.
As the weather worsened, the Ospreys controlled the rain better with their kicking game and took game away after Buxton was sent to the bin for slowing the ruck down illegally fifteen minutes into the second half.
The Welsh didn’t leave the opportunity begging and they scored 11 points in the following ten minutes as Morgan kicked the resulting penalty before Sam Davies, son of Gloucester’s head coach Nigel Davies, entered the arena with five minutes of magic.
First, he kicked a penalty seconds after coming off the bench before sending winger Tom Grabham in the corner with a superb cut-out pass.
The hosts looked to have the game under control with a 26-13 lead adn 15 minutes to go but Thomas’ effort and the penalty try put the visitors in front with four minutes left on the clock.
But the Ospreys weren’t going to be denied and Allen sealed the win one minute from time.
For Ospreys
Tries: Grabham, Allen
Conversion: Davies
Penalties: Morgan 4, Davies 1
Drop goals: Morgan 2
Sin bin: King
For Gloucester
Tries: Y. Thomas, Murphy, penalty
Conversions: Burns, Robson 2
Penalties: Burns 2
Sin bin: Buxton
Ospreys: Jones; Grabham, John, Spratt, Price; Morgan, Webb; M. Thomas, Dwyer, Rees; Peers, King; Stowers, Lewis (capt), Allen.
Replacements: Otten, Smith, N. Thomas, Hughes, Ellis, Habberfield, Davies, Edwards
Gloucester: M. Thomas; Monahan, Locke, Molenaar, Clark; Burns, Robson; Y. Thomas, D’Apice, Chistolini; Stooke, Graulich; Moriarty, Cox, Buxton (capt).
Replacements: Britton, Murphy, Heard, King, Sparks, Lewis, Boulton, Reynolds.
Referee: David Rose
Star man: Sam Lewis – Ospreys
NICK VERDIER
Check out Sunday’s paper for all the weekend’s action
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