Ospreys 23 Ulster 22:DAN BIGGAR'S boot put a dent in Ulster's play-off ambitions as he helped the champions recover from a disastrous start to pick up the points on a weekend they were missing 11 internationals.

Ulster were also missing a considerable quartet, but coach Brian McLaughlin would have been targeting this fixture for an away win.

It will have been galling to see his side throw away a 13-point lead secured in almost as many minutes.

But instead of that important away win Ulster had to be content with a losing bonus point.

Penalties in the fourth and 11th minutes from Ian Humphreys put Ulster on the front foot, and then the outhalf hacked through when the Ospreys dropped the ball near half-way and raced 45 metres for the home line.

When Tom Prydie tackled him from behind without the ball Scottish referee Neil Patterson awarded a penalty try.

The Ospreys then cut down on their errors and began to exert pressure through the scrum.

The boot of Biggar launched the revival and he kicked three penalties, one from 55 metres to bring the half to a spectacular end, and there was also a corner try for backrow man Marty Holah.

Two penalties from Ruan Pienaar, who took over at outhalf after 31 minutes when Humphreys left with a shoulder injury, meant Ulster won the 10 minutes they were down a player 6-3.

But Biggar returned with three more penalties. Ulster rallied, Pienaar hit the mark with a third penalty, but it wasn’t enough.

OSPREYS: R Fussell; T Prydie (T Isaacs 71), S Parker, A Beck, H Dirksen; D Biggar, R Webb (J Nutbrown 69); D Jones (R Bevington 57), H Bennett, C Griffiths, I Gough, I Evans, T Smith (J King 76), M Holah (J Tipuric 76), J Collins (capt).

ULSTER: A D'Arcy; C Gilroy, N Spence, I Whitten (L Marshall 67), S Danielli; I Humphreys (P Marshall 31), R Pienaar; B Young (J Cronin 60), N Brady (A Kyriacou 64), D Fitzpatrick (B Young 72), J Muller (capt), T Barker (R Caldwell 66), C Henry, W Faloon, P Wannenburg.

Referee : N Patterson(SRU).