Ospreys hero thanks ‘the voice’ after dramatic derby win as coach admits to ‘letting myself down’
Ospreys wing Keelan Giles scored the game-winning try.
Match-winning hero Keelan Giles paid tribute to the Ospreys supporters after his last minute try sealed a dramatic 19-13 Welsh derby win over the Dragons.
Giles cut through to the line with just 55 seconds left on the clock to spark scenes of wild celebration both on and off the field at Bridgend’s Brewery Field.
It was the wing’s 50th try for the Ospreys and it came at a perfect time.
The voice
Speaking after the game, he said: “I would just like to say a massive thanks to the crowd for coming out in numbers. They were the voice and it was a great night.
“It’s class. We spoke about it all week that this would be a massive game and I am so glad we got the win in the end. It was a physical game and the boys dug deep.”
Giles’ decisive score came when the Dragons were reduced to 14 men after prop Cebo Dlamini had been sin-binned for head contact in a tackle.
“Obviously they had some early subs and a yellow card right at the end there, so we just thought take them edge to edge, they are going to be on their feet and luckily enough we were able to get the try in the end,” said the pacy wing who was named Player of the Match.
Adding his thoughts, skipper Sam Parry said: “The fans mean so much to us. We are proud to represent them and proud to represent this team.
“It’s something we spoke about before the game, just what it means to wear the jersey.
“I thought we stuck in there well and deserved it in the end.”
Delighted Ospreys head coach Mark Jones said: “I think I probably let myself down up in the stand when the try was scored!
“I was just feeling for the boys because it felt like we might not get what we felt we deserved. The boys have put so much effort in.
Deserved
“I thought we deserved to win, but it didn’t look like we were going to get it until that last passage of play.
“Big compliments to all the staff, the coaches and the players.
“I was really pleased with the win. That’s a good side we beat out there.”
Reflecting on his team standing eighth in the URC table, Jones said: “We have set ourselves up pretty well. We are just over halfway and if you’d said we were going to be sitting where we are in pre-season we’d have probably taken that when you look at the strength of the league.”
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