Cheetahs game really important now for Ulster: Dan McFarland

Ospreys hooker Scott Otten crossed for two tries as the Welsh region celebrated only their second win of the season in the Guinness PRO14.

Ulster, who had come back from 23-10 down early in the second half, had a chance to win the match at the death, but Bill Johnson's 83rd-minute drop-goal attempt was charged down by Aled Davies.

While it was second versus bottom in Conference A, defeat for Ulster was huge as it would have been a game they had targeted on the road to pick up points from as they look to press for second place and a play-off spot.

They welcome Cheetahs to Kingspan Stadium, Belfast, on Saturday, who are six points behind, while Glasgow picked up an important win on Friday night to close the gap on both Ulster and the South Africans.

Although Ulster are still in second place McFarland insisted you could not look at it that way.

“You know we have lost a game to a side that thus far this season has only won one game,” he said.

“With the Cheetahs, if you look at their run in, they have the easiest fixtures list in the league, and we are also competing with Glasgow who are on really good form and played a fantastic game of rugby on Friday night.

“So you have to keep winning games and this was a game that was pretty important. It is not the end of the world that you lose, but it was a pretty important game to win.

“Makes our game against the Cheetahs next week all the more important.”

In the end Ospreys deserved their win, which came through two Otten tries from line-out drives and one for Wales centre Owen Watkin, back after recovering fully from knee surgery to make his 50th appearance. Luke Price supplied two penalties and two conversions.

Ulster also scored three tries through wing Robert Baloucoune, full-back Matt Faddes and Stuart McCloskey. Billy Burns and Johnson supplied nine points between them.