Ospreys 16 Ulster 20: Wing Simon Danielli ran in two tries as Ulster ended their losing run to see off a dismal Ospreys outfit at the Liberty Stadium. Despite having 17 internationals in their 22, including former All Black Jerry Collins, the Ospreys failed to gel in their opening home Magners League game of the season.
They were fortunate to come away with a bonus point, so poor was their display against a side who lost 23-6 to the 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. Outhalf Ian Humphries made a break through midfield before wing Timoci Nagusa put lock Dan Tuohy over down the right to snatch a 5-3 lead after six minutes.
And that became 12-3 in the 10th minute as Jonny Vaughton gave an interception pass straight to Ian Humphries who broke away and sent wing Simon Danielli behind the posts.
After an indifferent start the Ospreys came alive with a fantastic try for Nikki Walker made by breaks from centre Andrew Bishop, in his own half, and scrum-half Mike Phillips.
There was a hold-up in play for some five minutes for treatment to Tuohy who appeared to have been knocked out after attempting to tackle the lively Jerry Collins. Touhy was helped off to be replaced after 26 minutes by Thomas Anderson.
Hook missed two long-range penalty goal attempts, and a minute before half-time Humphries gave Ulster a seven-point cushion with a penalty goal from 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 mauled their way over the line, with replacement prop Duncan Jones emerging with the ball. But Hook missed the conversion which would have levelled the scores 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 a couple of minutes later.
But Ulster were back into a 20-16 lead when Danielli grabbed his second try after some neat inter-passing involving Nagusa and Schifcofske.
After that neither side looked capable of scoring with Humphries missing a long-range penalty attempt five minutes from time. At the final whistle there were audible boos from the home support.
