Ospreys (11) 19
Tries: Owen, Biggar Pens: Biggar 3
Connacht (6) 17
Try: Cronin Pens: Keatley 4

Ospreys scrum-half Mike Phillips on his return to action

Wales scrum-half Mike Phillips made his first appearance since undergoing surgery in October as the Ospreys beat Connacht in the Magners League.

Coach Warren Gatland was on hand to witness Phillips' return from the bench at the break as Wales ponder selection to face France on Friday in Cardiff.

Ospreys' full-back Gareth Owen starred in front of Gatland, but Connacht's battling spirit also shone through.

Owen and Dan Biggar scored home tries while Sean Cronin crossed for Connacht.

The visitors deserved their bonus point for a gutsy display as they narrowly failed to claim their first win at Liberty Stadium.

Scott Johnson's hosts looked capable of posting a comfortable winning margin after an opening in which Owen's try promised so much.

606: DEBATE Give your thoughts on Ospreys v Connacht

But they failed to capitalise on the good early work and the visitors' efforts in attack and defence belied their lowly status at the bottom of the league.

However, victory sent the Ospreys to the top of the league, overtaking Glasgow who lost at Firhill to Cardiff Blues on Friday.

Biggar, on his release from Wales squad duties, failed with a second-minute, long-range drop-goal attempt.

But he was soon on the scoreboard with his first penalty attempt, punishing the high tackle Connacht prop Robbie Morris inflicted on the Ospreys' number 10.

Ian Keatley struck back after hooker Sean Cronin's run caused havoc in the home defence and Biggar saw his next attempt fail after Morris reacted badly to the visitors' scrum being mangled by the home pack.

Ex-New Zealand All Black Jerry Collins replaced Tom Smith in the Ospreys' back-row in the 16th minute and his first act was to launch the move that led to the game's opening try.

Collins' drive gave half-backs Jamie Nutbrown and Biggar the chance to put Gareth Owen into space.

The full-back used his pace to breach the first line of defence and he then powered past Keatley for a well-taken try.

Keatley struck back with his second penalty, but the Ospreys led 11-6 at the break after Biggar's reply.

Gareth Owen crosses for the Ospreys' impressive opening try

The home fly-half put his side further ahead four minutes after the break with a third penalty.

And after another impressive Owen run along the touchline, Biggar was up in support to take the full-back's floated pass and make the line.

However, the hosts saw lock Ian Evans sin-binned for an off-the-ball tackle and Connacht took full advantage of his absence with a telling fight-back.

Scrum-half Conor O'Loughlin's pass and Cronin's excellent angled run brought a try for the hooker.

Keatley failed to convert, but he kicked a penalty to bring the visitors to within a converted try of the lead with 16 minutes remaining.

Home nerves were further tested when Biggar failed with a fourth shot at goal from eight attempts.

The visitors then saw full-back Gavin Duffy sin-binned for killing the ball after a tackle.

But they overcame the shortfall in numbers to set up the penalty chance that Keatley converted to bring them to within two points of the hosts.

However, the Ospreys held out to give a rusty Phillips a winning return.

Mike Phillips:
"Very good. I felt good out there. Bit of a stop-start second half there.

"I wanted a bit more of a free-flowing game, but I felt good and just pleased to be out there.

"I didn't know what the plan was. I was just itching to get on really. I wanted to play last week.

"I tried asking to play for Aberavon, but they weren't letting me so I was just delighted to get on the field.

"It was really special… so pleasing to get on the field after such a nasty injury and I can't wait to play again.

"I'd be delighted to get called up [for Wales], but I'll have to wait and see.

"I just wanted to get tonight out of the way and who knows then? It's not my decision. Obviously I'd be delighted to get called up, but I'll just have to wait and see now, I suppose.

"If I get the call I'll be thrilled and over the moon to get back in the squad. It's what we all want to do and can't wait to get back out there."

Ospreys boss Scott Johnson:
"The performance was poor. We don't need to kid ourselves. We let ourselves down.

"In many ways we probably wanted to get through the game and expected a win and once we got the points in front we took our foot off the brake and that's not what we're about.

"We're disappointed with ourselves for that.

"Part of the issue - it's a funny time of the year. Some of the key players that come back don't get to run with the team.

"They haven't been with us for three or four weeks and that's not an excuse, it sort of makes us a little disjointed.

"But for us to hold our position and keep going forward, we need these guys at this level to be playing well and we are disappointed with our performance."

Ospreys: Owen; Vaughton, Parker, Beck, Walker; Biggar, Nutbrown; Bevington, Shervington, Mitchell, Gough, Evans, Smith, Holah, Tiatia.
Replacements: M Phillips for Nutbrown (40), Griffiths for Mitchell (70), Lloyd for Gough (80), Collins for Smith (18).
Not Used: Breeze, B Davies, Prydie.

Connacht: Duffy; Nathan, Ta'auso, Matthews, Carr; Keatley, O'Loughlin; Wilkinson, Cronin, Morris, Swift, Upton, Muldoon, Ofisa, Naoupu.
Replacements: Wynne for Ta'auso (27), F Murphy for O'Loughlin (64), Hagan for Morris (40), McCarthy for Upton (40).
Not Used: Flavin, O'Connor, Bibo.

Att: 5,053

Ref: Neil Patterson (RFU).

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