LEEDS TYKES 29 OSPREYS 20
Leeds Tykes got their Heineken Cup campaign off to a winning start with a 29-20 win over the Neath Swansea Ospreys.
The Ospreys left Headingly empty-handed despite a brave fightback that deserved at least a bonus point, but Gordon Ross' fifth penalty goal in the final minute meant the Neath-Swansea region travelled back across the Severn Bridge with only bumps and bruises to show for their trip.
A Leeds victory looked odds-on at halftime, with the Tykes leading 20-7. It was an international affair for the home side, with Italian flanker Aaron Persico and South African centre Andre Snyman both scoring tries, and Scottish fly-half Ross adding 10 points with the boot.
Dangerous Ospreys winger Shane Williams gave the small group of travelling fans something to cheer about with an 11th-minute try, but Leeds were good for the 13-point lead and could have grabbed more tries as the Welsh defence buckled for most of the half.
The Ospreys hit back in the 50th minute when replacement centre Scott Gibbs was pushed over the try-line, with Shaun Connor's conversion giving the home fans a nervous half an hour.
Gibbs' try inspired his team, who pressed for the winner. Connor grabbed a dropped goal, but missed another effort and a crucial penalty-goal attempt.
The Welsh region pressed for the vital score, but Ross wasn't finished and two penalty goals from the Scotsman put his side out of reach in the dying minutes.
To add to the Ospreys' misery, the Tykes' Welsh No 8 Alix Popham grabbed man-of-the-match honours.
Leeds Tykes 29 Neath-Swansea Ospreys 20
HT: 20-7 Attendance: 3,755
Leeds Tykes: Tries - A Persico, A Snyman; Cons - G Ross (2); Pens - G Ross (5)
Neath-Swansea Ospreys: Tries - S Williams, S Gibbs; Cons - S Connor (2), Pen - S Connor; DG - S Connor
Match points: Leeds Tykes 4 pts; Neath-Swansea Ospreys 0 pts
Heineken Man of the Match: Alix Popham (Leeds Tykes)
