Resurgent Edinburgh gain revenge
Tom Brown and Grayson Hart crossed in the second-half try as Edinburgh continued their fine recent form by downing Pro12 table toppers Ospreys 24-16.
With Murrayfield playing host to Scotland's clash on Sunday, Friday's clash was moved to Myreside and Kiwi-born flyhalf Jade Te Rure got the game's first try when he dived over for the hosts.
Sam Davies slotted three penalties for the Ospreys in the opening period to keep them in touch and while Te Rure was struggling from the kicking tee, he managed to slot one on the stroke of the break to give Edinburgh a 10-9 lead.
Ospreys' recent record in Scotland is poor with only one win in their last nine visits north of the border and Brown was fed by replacement flyhalf Tom Heathcote for Edinburgh's second try after the hour mark.
In the closing stages Hart burrowed over from close range while Dan Evans got a late consolation for the visitors but victory keeps Edinburgh seventh, now knocking on the door of the top six, one point adrift of Connacht.
In the reverse fixture at the Liberty Stadium in Wales, the Ospreys had cut loose in scoring 60 points but Edinburgh impressed at Myreside early on even if Te Rure missed a seventh minute penalty.
And slightly against the run of play it was Ospreys who took the lead, Davies showing his counterpart how to do it, slotting a penalty when Edinburgh were penalised for not rolling away.
But while Te Rure's work from the kicking tee left a little to be desired, his work with ball in hand was mightily impressive.
And on 15 minutes the fly-half started and finished the move that brought the first try, making a half break before spreading the ball left and then wrapping round to collect Jack Cuthbert's offload and dive over.
He appeared to be settling his nerves from the tee by adding the extras but at 7-3 down it was the Ospreys that struck next.
In the battle of the fly-halves Davies showed he had an all-round game as well, a superb show and go putting him in the clear but winger Tom Grabham could not collect the fly-half's wide ball when the inside pass appeared the better option.
But just before half hour, Davies second penalty of the night closed the scoreline to 7-6 and four minutes before the interval the visitors and league leaders re-took the lead, Davies adding his third penalty of the night after a spell of prolonged advantage on the Edinburgh try line failed to yield a try.
On the stroke of the interval the hosts should have been back in front but try-scorer Te Rure pulled a straight-forward effort wide of the posts.
But he had the chance to make amends immediately after from bang in front but while his confidence was clearly slow, the post helped his pulled effort creep over and Edinburgh went in 10-9 ahead.
The opening of the second period was scrappy but Heathcote, who replaced Te Rure on 50 minutes, re-established a measure of control for the hosts.
And it was the former Bath man who laid on the second score for Brown, a long pass out left leaving the winger with an easy run in.
The replacement flyhalf then slipped while taking the conversion but the post again came to the hosts' aid to stretch the lead out to 17-9.
Damien Hoyland then saw yellow for a dangerous tackle but Davies missed with a penalty that would have put the Ospreys in losing bonus point range.
But it mattered little as Hart burrowed over to seal the win after Roddy Grant was hauled down short of the line.
Heathcote added the extras but there was still time for Evans to cross for a consolation score for the visitors that Davies converted to no avail as Edinburgh maintained an eight-point lead.
The scorers:
For Edinburgh:
Tries: Te Rure, Brown, Hart
Cons: Te Rure, Heathcote 2
Pen: Te Rure
For Ospreys:
Try: Evans
Con: Davies
Pen: Davies 3
Yellow cards: Damien Hoyland (Edinburgh 64), Rory Sutherland (Edinburgh 65), Sam Davies (Ospreys 75)
Teams:
Edinburgh: 15 Jack Cuthbert, 14 Tom Brown, 13 Sam Beard, 12 Phil Burleigh, 11 Damien Hoyland, 10 Jade Te Rure, 9 Grayson Hart, 8 Mike Coman, 7 Hugh Blake, 6 Roddy Grant, 5 Ollie Atkins, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 WP Nel, 2 Neil Cochrane, 1 Rory Sutherland.
Replacements: 16 Stuart McInally, 17 Grant Shiells, 18 John Andress, 19 Fraser McKenzie, 20 Tomas Leonardi, 21 Alex Glashan, 22 Tom Heathcote, 23 Andries Strauss.
Ospreys: 15 Dan Evans, 14 Tom Grabham, 13 Ashley Beck, 12 Josh Matavesi, 11 Richard Fussell, 10 Sam Davies, 9 Martin Roberts, 8 Tyler Ardron (captain), 7 Sam Lewis, 6 Joe Bearman, 5 Rory Thornton, 4 Tevita Cavubati, 3 Dmitri Arhip, 2 Scott Otten, 1 Marc Thomas.
Replacements: 16 Matthew Dwyer, 17 Duncan Jones, 18 Daniel Suter, 19 James King, 20 Ieuan Jones, 21 Dan Baker, 22 Tom Habberfield, 23 Jonathan Spratt.
Referee: Gary Conway
Assistant referees: Graeme Wells, Stephen Hart
TMO: Iain Ramage