Alan O’Connor rues sluggish start for Ulster in Pro14 defeat against Ospreys

Ulster went into the break 18-10 down then conceded a third try seven minutes after the interval.

Ulster came back to lead 24-23 with five minutes to go but Lloyd Price’s long-range penalty gave the Ospreys only their second win in 17 games this season.

“Slow start from us, I think the Ospreys obviously played the conditions better in the first half, took their chances when they came and we just left ourselves too much to do in the end,” he said.

“But it was a positive getting back into the game and towards the end we had given ourselves an actual shot at winning that game and it was a pity we couldn’t hold out when it was a one-point difference.

“I just think we didn’t play in the right areas; with mistakes all of sudden we’re back in our own 22 - when they were in their 22 they had the right idea: catch the ball, one or two rucks, bang it down and see how we deal with it.

“They get a set piece down in our corner and they could build pressure from there.”

With Storm Denis battering Swansea, O’Connor didn’t think winning the toss was much of an advantage.

“The wind was swirling at the start so we thought we’d just kick off and see how the conditions would go as the game went on,” he said.

“It was sort of stop-start then all of a sudden for the first 20 minutes it started coming across and then down, so were were kicking to our left off the restarts, then we changed to the right because it was harder to get out of that corner.

“But it was hard to know what to do with the conditions because there were gusts then rain and it was hard to get a read of.”

O’Connor revealed coach Dan McFarland stayed calm at half time.

“He just said that wasn’t us and it was a good opportunity to come out and show who we are in the second half - I think we did to an extent but again we can’t be leaving ourselves so much to do,” said O’Connor. We know the sort of squad we have at Ulster now, no matter who it is they all come in and do a good job - some of the guys that came on the carries were great; Jordi did a good job, Tom, Jack and David and all the forwards.

“John’s throw at the end towards the tail was class and it gave us a proper chance to go and win the game.”

With the clock in the red zone Ulster had a chance to win through but out-half Bill Johnson’s drop goal was charged down. It is hard to know whether to try and hold onto the ball and get a penalty with a no arms tackle or something - credit to Bill a lot of fly halves would have just sat back in the corner and waited for the prefect pitch, but he stepped up.

“Sometimes it comes your way, sometimes it doesn’t and I’m just proud he went for it.”