Parks breaks Magners League scoring record, but Ospreys take the plaudits

Published on Saturday 13 September 2008 00:14

Glasgow 18 Ospreys 21

A WEAKENED Ospreys team grabbed only their second away victory over Glasgow in five years with a dramatic try two minutes from time, ensuring a miserable Magners League night for Scottish rugby.

Sean Lineen, the Glasgow coach, had warned his side not to under-estimate a team that had made 12 changes from that which blew away Cardiff on Tuesday night, and he was right to pinpoint the physicality of the Welsh side as a key factor.

The set-piece was a good battle, well fought by the home side, but Ospreys dominated the breakdown for large periods, knocked Glasgow back regularly in the tackle and their famed rush defence enveloped much of Glasgow's first half ambition while Nikki Walker, their Scottish winger, revelled in piercing holes in the home defence with scything counter-attacking runs.

Dan Parks also had a game he will wish to forget. After a week in which the stand-off dominated the headlines, on account of being two points from the Magners League points-scoring record, he was less sure in the dry conditions and suffered a case of the goal-kicking jitters. He missed one after three minutes, from over 45 metres out, sent another wide left from 40 metres and then pushed another right from around 35 metres with 26 minutes gone.

An eerie concern gripped Firhill that the star of the opening night win at Newport was suffering under the pressure of setting a record.

Lineen sighed: "Our performance was hugely frustrating. We could have won that match, but we don't seem to have turned the corner with the grey matter – we need to be mentally stronger.

"We have worked so hard and this result just makes the win over the Dragons redundant. It's safe to say Dan didn't have one of his better games – if he'd kicked his goals we'd have won – but he has won many games for us so it happens.

"He's a crucial player for us and we all have to get our heads together now; it's a long season, but we have to get it right in Connacht next week."

With back rows Filo Tiatia and Marty Holah blending great power and nous, the Ospreys' youngsters showed the way last night. Dan Biggar, the 18-year-old fly-half, slotted his first penalty from 50 metres after 15 minutes and Kristian Phillips, who only turned 18 ten days ago, finished off a flowing handling move by crashing into the right-hand corner despite scrambling Glasgow defence from Thom Evans, whose brother Max failed to recover from a training injury to play last night. Glasgow players insisted he was in touch during their protestations, but assistant referee Ron Dumma and ref Carlo Damasco decided otherwise.

As the half wore on, Glasgow seized more possession, the lineout an improving source of ball, and started to off-load a bit themselves.

They launched a pulsating series of attacks at the Ospreys on the half-hour mark, Moray Low, Kelly Brown and Johnnie Beattie at their heart, which energised the big Firhill crowd, but the strength and discipline of the visitors' defence merely left both sides tired and the scoreboard unmoved despite a late, unsuccessful lunge for the line by Beattie.

Parks finally found his kicking range from around 35 metres in the 35th minute, after great lineout work by Barclay and Beattie, beating David Humphreys' record with a familiar exocet-like strike between the uprights. There was a palpable relief in the Firhill crowd, and no doubt within the fly-half, and after repelling Ospreys' initial response they pounced for a stunning try two minutes into injury-time.

In a move from the training ground, Mark McMillan, the home scrum-half, chipped into the 22 and the ball bounced neatly for Thom Evans to pick up and streak away from the cover to the posts. Parks converted to turn an 8-3 deficit into a 10-8 half-time lead.

The Ospreys were back in front, however, within seven minutes of the restart, Parks falling short with a bold 55-metre effort before Biggar stroked over a long-range drop-goal and then a penalty.

The Welsh side lifted the pace and dominated the third quarter, stretching the Glasgow defence at every opportunity, and the appearance of Jonathan Thomas, with 46 Wales caps, and James Hook, with 27, was a reminder this had not been the Ospreys at full strength.

However, Glasgow rallied, threw on subs and put themselves into a winning position, Parks slotting another penalty and, with Ospreys losing Jamie Nutbrown to the sin-bin for one ruck infringement too many, sending a sublime kick wide to the left wing where the flying Evans plucked it from the air at full pelt and coasted past the cover.

Glasgow players celebrated wildly, supporters tasted victory, but the Ospreys were not finished.

Hook played them into position in the home 22, and from a lineout and drive Alun Wyn Jones touched down in the final minute of normal time. Hook converted and the Ospreys held on for a last-gasp, three-point win to sink Glasgow's early season promise.

Scorers: Glasgow: Tries: Evans 2. Pens: Parks 2. Cons: Parks. Ospreys: Tries: Philips, Wyn Jones. Pens: Biggar 2. Drop-goal: Biggar. Con: Hook.

Glasgow: B Stortoni; L Fa'atau, M Evans, G Morrison, T Evans; D Parks, M McMillan; J Va'a, D Hall, M Low, T Barker, A Kellock (capt), K Brown, J Beattie, J Barclay. Subs: O Palepoi for Barker 40mins, K Tkachuk for Va'a 58, S Swindall for Beattie 62, C Gregor for McMillan 64, H O'Hare for Fa'atau 65, R Jackson for Stortoni 66,

Ospreys: G Owen; J Vaughton, D Bishop, A Bishop, N Walker; D Biggar, J Nutbrown; P James (capt), E Shervington, C Griffiths, I Gough, A Wyn-Jones, T Smith, F Tiatia, M Holah. Subs: K Philips for Owen 5mins, D Jones for Griffiths 40, H Bennet for Shervington 58, J Thomas for Smith 62, J Hook for Biggar 69,

Referee: C Damasco (Italy).

OTHER RESULT

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