The Welsh side outscored their South African visitors by four tries to three, but Gianni Lombard kicked 13 points – including three penalty goals – to hand the Emirates Lions their first win of the new season.

The Ospreys started like a house on fire though, with Keelan Giles scoring two tries in the first 16 minutes, to a solitary penalty goal by Lombard, which handed the hosts a 14-3 lead.

Shortly thereafter though the Lions hit back through a Francke Horn try from a lineout drive, and with Lombard adding the extras, the visitors were right back in it at 14-10.

A few minutes before the break, Wales scrumhalf Rhys Webb broke through as the Ospreys managed to disrupt the Emirates Lions’ defence, but the conversion wasn’t successful and after Lombard kicked his second penalty goal, the teams went into the break with the hosts leading by 19-13.

To add insult to injury, the Emirates Lions lost Sibusiso Sangweni to the sin bin for an illegal tackle, but playing with 14 men spurred them on when Sanele Nohamba snapped up a loose ball to score the visitors’ second try, and with the conversion missing the target, it was a one-point game.

Four minutes later, Dewi Lake scored a try that put the hosts back in control, but Lombard clawed back three points with a long-distance penalty goal to make it 24-21. Soon it was 27-21 when Jack Walsh kicked his only penalty goal of the night.

With 10 minutes to go, Edwill van der Merwe crossed for a crucial converted try that put the Emirates Lions in the lead, which they defended until the end for a famous victory.

Scorers:

Ospreys 27 (19) – Tries: Keelan Giles (2), Rhys Webb, Dewi Lake. Conversions: Jack Walsh (2). Penalty goal: Walsh.

Emirates Lions 28 (13) – Tries: Francke Horn, Sanele Nohamba, Edwill van der Merwe. Conversions: Gianni Lombard (2). Penalty goals: Lombard (3).