Danielli double sinks Ospreys
Scotland wing Simon Danielli scored two tries as Ulster beat Ospreys 20-16 and ended a 15-match losing run in the process.
Last Updated: 12/09/09 8:49pm
Scotland wing Simon Danielli scored two tries as Ulster beat Ospreys 20-16 and ended a 15-match losing run in the process.
Despite having 17 internationals in their 22, the Welsh outfit failed to find their fluid best on what was very much a night to forget at the Liberty Stadium.
The only crumb of consolation was the losing bonus point acquired, however the away success was the perfect response for Ulster, who lost 23-6 to Newport Gwent Dragons last week.
The match was only four minutes old when the Ospreys went into the lead with a James Hook penalty from the 22.
But Ulster responded impressively with a try just over a minute later. Outside-half Ian Humphries breaking through midfield before wing Timoci Nagusa put lock Dan Tuohy over down the right to snatch a 5-3 lead.
Danielli silenced the home fans further just minutes later, Jonny Vaughton's loose pass intercepted by Humphries who broke away and sent over the Ulster flier.
Sin-binned
Ospreys hit back on 21 minutes courtesy of a fantastic try from Nikki Walker. But Hook missed two long-range penalty goal attempts, and a minute before half-time Humphries gave Ulster a seven-point cushion with a penalty right in front of the posts.
Ulster suffered an injury-time setback when full-back Clinton Schifcofske was sin-binned for a professional foul on Phillips.
From the resulting penalty the Ospreys powered over the line, with replacement prop Duncan Jones emerging with the ball. But Hook's indifferent kicking display continued and the scores stayed level at the interval.
Just as in the opening period, Hook kicked a penalty four minutes into the half to see the Ospreys take a 16-15 lead which they kept intact when Humphries missed a penalty two minutes later.
But the Irishmen were back into a 20-16 lead, which they kept, when Danielli grabbed his second try of the night following some neat inter-passing involving Nagusa and Schifcofske.
