Ospreys woe as Parks hits target

Mar 1 2008 by Staff Reporter, Western Mail

THE Ospreys came to Firhill seeking a result, but at the end of 80 minutes of rugby played in atrocious conditions of high winds and constant downpours, the visitors found themselves on the wrong end of a narrow scoreline.

It was a cruel outcome for the visitors, who battled hard up front and who defended well against Glasgow’s more innovative attacking play.

But Ospreys were never able to gain superiority up front, despite some great line-out work from lock Alun Wyn Jones.

The big second rower played the full 80 minutes and will now have posed a problem for Warren Gatland ahead of Wales game with Ireland next weekend.

But however immense the contributions of Wyn Jones, Ospreys, were unable to tame the more lively Glasgow pack that lasted the game much the better.

Behind the scrum deposed Scotland outside-half Dan Parks made a case for a recall, after controlling the game with his boot.

Parks kicked all of Glasgow’s points, but it was his positional kicking that proved vital in the second half.

It was Glasgow who looked the more positive in the opening exchanges, as the Warriors went through multiple phases with clever switches of play and close passing.

The end result was inevitable, a penalty award, converted into three points by Parks.

Ospreys, however, quickly came back into the game, using simple tactics in the testing conditions to gain territory before earning a penalty award after Glasgow skipper Al Kellock failed to roll away from the tackle.

Shaun Connor put over the difficult goal to level the scores and then he gave the Ospreys the lead with a second successful kick.

Glasgow had a chance to regain the advantage from a scrum five metres from the Ospreys’ line, only for scrum-half Sam Pinder to give away a needless penalty in a valuable situation.

As half-time approached, Pinder atoned with a searing break, but winger Lome Fa’atau failed to hold the long pass and another chance was lost, leaving Ospreys in the driving seat at the interval leading 6-3.

Warriors began the second half as they had the first, but this time Parks’ penalty attempt fell short.

Then after twice giving away penalties on the ground, prompting referee Jonathan Caplan to warn the Warriors, Parks put in a clever cross-field kick which had the Ospreys’ defence in trouble, and forced them to concede a penalty. And Parks made no mistake with his goal kick to level the scores.

Minutes later Parks had another attempt at goal after Mark Taylor had been caught in possession by Max Evans, but the kick was pulled to the left of the posts.

Ospreys defence had to look sharp when Parks put in a clever cross kick for to replacement wing Hefin O’Hare.

When the ball was recycled, fellow sub Scott Barrow used his boot to find touch in the corner, but the referee had noted an offside, allowing Parks to kick his third penalty goal giving Glasgow the advantage with the scoreline standing at 9-6.

Glasgow again looked dangerous as Parks kicked to the blind side. Ospreys had no choice but put the ball into touch giving Glasgow a line-out five metres out. The visitors survived, but Glasgow’s stranglehold in the last few minutes ensured a home win.