United Rugby Championship: Scarlets 11-25 Ospreys - Visitors claim west Wales derby spoils

Ospreys centre George North has played in four World Cups

Ospreys celebrated the United Rugby Championship (URC) west Wales derby win against struggling Scarlets.

Following a scoreless first half, Ospreys scored tries through Reuben Morgan-Williams, Sam Parry and Jack Walsh with Owen Williams adding 10 points.

Scarlets scrum-half Gareth Davies scored a try with Ioan Lloyd adding two penalties.

Dwayne Peel's side were left to rue four missed Lloyd kicks.

That was 11 points going astray as Scarlets failed to build on the first-half superiority and they left the match with no points.

It was a first Ospreys win in Llanelli in a competitive match since 2015 as they rose to ninth in the table and completed the double over their closest rivals, with young lock James Fender awarded player of the match in front of 11,282 fans.

Scarlets remain 14th with two wins and eight defeats in all competitions this season. Ospreys host Cardiff in Bridgend on New Year's Day while Scarlets travel to face Dragons.

Missing in action

Both sides had late withdrawals with Scarlets fly-half Sam Costelow and Ospreys number eight Morgan Morris missing through injury.

Morgan Morse, 18, made just his second professional start as he replaced Morris, with Wales captain Jac Morgan also absent because of a knee injury.

Costelow, who was due to make his return after being sidelined since early November, failed a fitness test on his hamstring problem. Ioan Lloyd switched to fly-half with Ioan Nicholas starting at full-back.

Scarlets were boosted by the return of captain Josh Macleod and Tonga international Sam Lousi in the back row but Vaea Fifita was missing with a calf injury.

Prop Sam Wainwright featured for the first time since the death of his father in November. Former Wales prop Samson Lee brought out the match ball with his family after being forced to retire earlier this month because of an Achilles problem.

And Lee would have been proud of the first scrum penalty his old side gained although Lloyd missed the chance to open the scoring as he missed two kicks at goal in the opening quarter.

Ospreys centre George North made a couple of forays into the Scarlets defence with the visitors' opening attack but his speculative attempted pass went astray as the move broke down.

There was almost as much action off the field as Ospreys forwards coach and water carrier Duncan Jones managed to get in the way of Scarlets scrum-half Gareth Davies taking a quick tap penalty after Harri Deaves transgressed. Jones was exonerated of any wrongdoing.

Lloyd missed a third penalty when he struck the post before half-back partner Gareth Davies was held up over the Ospreys line by centre Owen Watkin with no score in the first half.

Davies broke the deadlock early in the second half as he intercepted a Rhys Davies pass to sprint away to score. Lloyd missed the conversion.

Ospreys scrum-half Morgan-Williams burrowed over after a rare excursion into the Scarlets 22 with Williams adding the conversion before slotting over a penalty.

Lousi was playing his first game in two months and had proved one of the most influential performers but was withdrawn after 53 minutes for Ben Williams.

Referee Craig Evans decided to show Ospreys centre Watkin a yellow card in the second half for persistent offending despite the initial team warning coming in the first half.

Lloyd brought Scarlets to within a score with his first successful kick at his fifth attempt before displaying his dazzling footwork with a counter-attack that was eventually halted by Ospreys replacement hooker Parry.

Referee Evans evened up the numbers when he sin-binned Scarlets skipper Macleod for a no-arms tackle and Parry ensured he took advantage with a close-range drive.

Wasteful Scarlets failed in a bid to score late on when wing Tom Rogers ignored an overlap while replacement flanker Ben Williams was denied by Luke Morgan.

Lloyd looked like Scarlets had ensured a late bonus point with a second penalty.

As Scarlets were chasing the draw, they spilled possession and full-back Walsh gathered the loose ball and sprinted away to score to deny the hosts even that losing bonus point.

Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel: "In the first half territorially we were pretty dominant and did not finish with points we could have which was disappointing.

"There were large periods of the game that were better from us but inaccuracy was a problem."

Ospreys head coach Toby Booth: "It was a very spirited and confrontational game. We were messy in the first half and we spoke at half-time about cleaning some of that up and let the emotion of the occasion subside.

"Once we managed to do that, we were more accurate and got the crucial 10-point advantage and push on from there, which was pleasing."

Scarlets: Ioan Nicholas; Tom Rogers, Joe Roberts, Johnny Williams, Ryan Conbeer; Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies; Kemsley Mathias, Ryan Elias, Sam Wainwright, Alex Craig, Jac Price, Sam Lousi, Teddy Leatherbarrow, Josh Macleod (capt).

Replacements: Shaun Evans, Wyn Jones, Joe Jones, Morgan Jones, Ben Williams, Kieran Hardy, Jonathan Davies, Charlie Titcombe.

Ospreys: Jack Walsh; Mat Protheroe, George North, Owen Watkin, Keelan Giles; Owen Williams, Reuben Morgan-Williams; Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake, Tom Botha, James Fender, Adam Beard (capt), Rhys Davies, Harri Deaves, Morgan Morse.

Replacements: Sam Parry, Garyn Phillips, Ben Warren, Lewis Jones, Tristan Davies, Luke Davies, Dan Edwards, Luke Morgan.

Referee: Craig Evans (WRU)

Assistant referees: Adam Jones & Ben Breakspear (WRU)

TMO: Jon Mason (WRU)