Edinburgh 32 Ospreys 16

EDINBURGH RECORDED their third successive victory with a comfortable win over the depleted Ospreys at Murrayfield last night but missed the chance for a vital bonus point and a further boost going into their Heineken Cup double header with Wasps, writes Steve Scott, rugby correspondent

The capital side were on top in all departments and 20 points to the good at half time, but lost their way in the second half and for a 15-minute spell looked like they might crack.

However, the unerring boot of Chris Paterson, who was perfect again with seven successful kicks out of seven attempts, kept the Welshmen at arms’ length and the two first half tries by Nick De Luca and Geoff Cross proved to be crucial.

The home side’s success was based in the first half on complete domination in the scrummage with Cross and man-of-the-match Allan Jacobsen in complete control, until the Ospreys made some changes at half time and got a more sympathetic handling from Irish referee John Lacey, working in his first Magners League game.

In the end Edinburgh settled for the comfortable win without the bonus point and avoiding any serious injuries before their double clash with the English champions over the coming fortnight.

The home fans were barely in their seats when Edinburgh, who had been having trouble converting try-scoring chances this season, scored on their first attack.

Good ground made by the back row saw Phil Godman probe the blindside with a neat grubber kick and when the retreating Ryan Webb fumbled close to the line, De Luca pounced to scramble over, Paterson adding the conversion for a 7-0 lead with barely a minute played.

Edinburgh’s execution was not quite as slick as it might have been after the three-week break for the autumn internationals, but they were able to work enough territory and pressure to force three penalties kicked by Paterson and a neat drop goal from 35 yards from Godman to two penalty strikes from the young Ospreys stand-off Matt Jarvis.

Edinburgh’s second try on 35 minutes came as a result of brute force and quick thinking.

Mike Blair’s huge kick from a snap tap penalty into space caught Nikki Walker on his own line and after Ospreys’ Scottish wing was driven over by opposite number Mark Robertson, the home pack dismantled the Welsh eight at the five metre scrum and prop Cross got the touchdown, Paterson converting.

Jarvis cut into Edinburgh’s hefty 20-point lead with a penalty just after half-time as the Ospreys gradually came back into the game and then added a fine try just before the hour, the stand-off’s break on halfway supported by centre David Bishop and Walker arriving to canter over for the score.

Things got edgy for Edinburgh as Cross was sin-binned for persistent infringement and Walker had two thundering runs deep into home territory as Ben Cairns had to come off injured, but with 10 minutes remaining Paterson steadied the nerves with a fourth penalty as Cross returned.

The Scotland full-back duly booted a fifth penalty with three minutes left as a full-strength Edinburgh regained control to compete the victory.

Jacobsen admitted to having mixed emotions after the victory.

The Scotland star commented, “It was a pretty good result—but it could have been even better.

“Everything went to plan in the first half, but we let it slip after the break and gave away too many needless penalties.”

Attendance—2670.

Edinburgh—C Paterson; M Robertson (H Southwell 55), B Cairns (D Blair 60), N De Luca, S Webster; P Godman, M Blair (capt, G Laidlaw 77); A Jacobsen (G Kerr 72), R Ford (A Kelly 77), G Cross; C Hamilton (M Mustchin 65), B Gissing; A MacDonald, R Rennie (S Newlands 55), A Hogg.

Ospreys—T Bowe; K Phillips, D Bishop (A Beck 65), S Parker, N Walker; M Jarvis, R Webb (R Wells 52); P James (M Breeze 78), E Shervington (R Bevington 78), C Mitchell (C Griffiths 41); F Tiatia, L Bateman (R Garfield 80); S Tandy, M Holah, T Smith (J Thomas 45).

Referee—J Lacey (IRFU).