The Ospreys left Edinburgh empty handed after a disappointing 80 minutes at Myreside.
It was a tale of missed chances, wrong options and cheap turnovers as the game got away with them, only a late try from Dan Evans with time up allowing the Ospreys
In truth, it was a poor performance, coaches and players alike well aware that a huge step-up will be needed if the Ospreys are to get anything when they return to Scotland next weekend to face Glasgow.
Early exchanges saw both teams showing plenty of positive intent, but it was the Scots who were handed the first chance to get the scoreboard moving after the Ospreys scrum was in trouble at their own put-in on the 22m line, but Jade Te Rure pulled his kick wide of the near post.
The game was being played out predominantly between the 22s, but with 15 minutes on the clock Sam Davies successfully dissected the posts with his first penalty of the night from some 44m out, Edinburgh pinged for tackler not rolling away.
That score only served to draw an instant response from the home team. After the Ospreys had frustrated Edinburgh’s attempted rolling maul the ball was moved across the field before Te Rure marked his first start with a well worked try, exchanging passes in midfield with Phil Burleigh to create the gap for him to go over and score, before picking himself up to add the extras
The Ospreys almost hit straight back, a wonderful break from halfway by Davies, his show and go taking two defenders out. He went for the line but, with Jack Cuthbert coming across field to cover, the fly-half unselfishly looked to feed Tom Grabham outside him but the winger couldn’t collect the ball cleanly with the try line beckoning.
Davies did bring the Ospreys back to within a point in the 27th minute, Edinburgh’s Ollie Atkins taking out the jumper at a lineout on the left.
He was successful again eight minutes later from a similar position to put the Ospreys back in front following a long advantage as they pounded the Edinburgh line, after Dan Evans had been hauled down just short of the line, to take the scoreboard to 7-9.
Edinburgh should have retaken the lead just a couple of minutes later, but Te Rure’s kick, a straightforward looking one from the 22, was off target.
He was handed another chance 60 seconds later. Davies put the dropout 22 straight into touch, which allowed Edinburgh to opt for a scrum where they were awarded a penalty. He appeared to make a hash of it once again, the simple looking kick striking the left hand upright, but as the 10 stood in front of the posts holding his head in his hands, it just fell over the right side of the crossbar. The score, which was the last play of the first half, meant that Edinburgh headed back down the tunnel with the narrowest of leads.
HALF-TIME; EDINBURGH 10 OSPREYS 9
It was a pretty uneventful third quarter with neither side troubling the official scorer, but the game burst into life just after the hour mark as Edinburgh grabbed their second try of the night.
It was a charge up the right from Burleigh, supported by Hugh Blake, that gave Edinburgh momentum before they recycled and went through pick and drives to suck in Ospreys defenders to create a big overlap on the opposite wing, the big miss pass releasing Tom Brown to score in the corner. Tom Heathcote added the extras with a marvelous kick from the touchline that rattled the post on its way over,
Just a couple of minutes later Edinburgh were reduced to 14 men when Damien Hoyland was sinbinned, the TMO confirming a dangerous tackle. 60 seconds or so after that, Davies had a chance to go for three points, Edinburgh tackler not releasing, but his kick was wide to the left.
Crossing in midfield then gave Edinburgh another sight of the posts but on this occasion, Heathcote’s long range effort skewed horrendously wide.
Despite the numerical advantage the Ospreys were finding the Edinburgh defence impossible to break down, and were guilty of losing the ball too cheaply.
A scrum on halfway, an Ospreys put in, saw them in terrible trouble as replacement Dan Baker struggled to pick up at the back of a retreating set-piece. The loose ball was hacked forward by Edinburgh and Josh Matavesi had to concede the line out under pressure inside his own 22. The hosts were restored to 15 for the lineout, but the Ospreys were a man short immediately as Duncan Jones was ordered to spend the remainder of the contest on the sidelines for collapsing the maul.
Edinburgh made the most of their numerical advantage, man of the match Grayson Hart going over for a late try, converted by Heathcote.
There was still time for one late Ospreys rally, and it was Dan Evans who rounded off a move to cross with time up for his fifth try of the season, Davies bringing the game to a conclusion with a successful conversion.