Edinburgh Rugby came up just short against a stubborn Ospreys outfit in front of over 3,000 fans at Murrayfield tonight (14-15).
Both sides struggled for cohesion early on, but the home side looked the better of the two, Phil Godman kicking the first points of the evening with a penalty after quarter of an hour.
Then, as Michael Bradley’s charges began to dominate, the hosts got the first try of the evening.
A wonderful offload from number eight Netani Talei nearly put Chris Paterson underneath the posts but he was denied just short of the line.
However, there were plenty of numbers lurking out wide and debutante outside-centre Dougie Fife took full advantage and finished his first try in the black and red, 8-0.
The boot of Wales internationalist Dan Biggar led the Ospreys back into the match with a well-taken drop-goal just moments later before hooker Richard Hibbard profited from a well-structured rolling maul from lineout ball to rumble over.
Bigger’s missed conversion meant there was nothing between the sides until Godman had the last word of the half when his penalty nudged the hosts in front.
HALF TIME: 11-8
Godman’s boot extended the lead to six points early in the second half as Edinburgh looked to recapture the gap between the sides but Ospreys hit back with what would prove to be a decisive blow.
In a half match that offered few threats from dynamic attacking play, an impressive solo effort from Osprey’s Hanno Dirksen, saw the winger evade several would-be tacklers, chip, collect and dive under the posts.
Biggar added the extras to nudge his side into the lead for the first time in the match and, despite the hosts’ dominance, Edinburgh were unable to break the Welshmen down and were made to settle for a losing bonus point as the Ospreys held on for victory.
Edinburgh Rugby: 15 Chris Paterson; 14 Tom Brown, 13 Dougie Fife, 12 John Houston, 11 Tim Visser; 10 Phil Godman, 9 Chris Leck; 1 Kyle Traynor, 2 Alun Walker, 3 Jack Gilding, 4 Grant Gilchrist, 5 Sean Cox, 6 Stuart McInally, 7 Roddy Grant CAPTAIN, 8 Netani Talei. Substitutes: 16 Andrew Kelly on for Walker (64’), 17 Robin Hislop on for Traynor (79’), 18 Ulises Gamboa on for Gilding (51’), 19 Esteban Lozada on for Gilchrist (60’), 20 Alan MacDonald, 21 Alex Black, 22 Gregor Hunter, 23 Sep Visser
Ospreys team: 15 Richard Fussell; 14 Hanno Dirksen, 13 Tom Isaacs, 12 Andrew Bishop, 11 Eli Walker; 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Kahn Fotuali'I; 1 Duncan Jones, 2 Richard Hibbard, 3 Joe Rees, 4 Ian Gough, 5 James King, 6 Tom Smith CAPTIAN, 7 Sam Lewis, 8 Jonathan Thomas. Replacements: 16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Ryan Bevington, 18 Will Taylor, 19 Alun Wyn Jones, 20 Joe Bearman, 21 Rhys Webb, 22 Matthew Morgan, 23 Sonny Parker
Man of the match: Dougie Fife, Attendance: 3209
