Late penalty so vital for Stade

Pool Three/Ospreys 22 Stade Francais 22:The Ospreys seem to specialise in last-gasp efforts in Europe and they came within inches of another great escape yesterday. But in sight of the line they were reeled back in and even a win at Sale next week may be insufficient to squeeze Lyn Jones's team into the last eight for the first time in their four-year history.

Top spot beckoned in the second minute of injury-time after an extraordinary rally from 19-6 down on the hour to an unexpected 22-19 lead, helped by the costly sending of the visiting lock Boela du Plooy to the sin-bin.

But the drama wasn't over. The replacement Ospreys scrum-half, Jason Spice, was sent to the sin-bin, Stade's Lionel Beauxis banged over a wonderful penalty from halfway and Gavin Henson narrowly missed with a long-range drop-goal effort in the final seconds. The ball drifted wide and the Ospreys' hopes of joining Llanelli Scarlets in the knockout stages might have gone with it.

"It's still mathematically possible we could go through as the second runner-up but it'll be a big call for us to turn things around," admitted a downcast Jones.

In the dressing-room Welsh international number eight, Ryan Jones, who deservedly won the man of the match award, apologised to his team-mates for giving away the crucial penalty which led to Beauxis's equalising kick.

Earlier a try by the talented Argentinian full back Juan Martin Hernandez, assisted by 14 points from the boot of David Skrela, gave Stade an apparent stranglehold on proceedings. But Du Plooy's yellow card at a ruck transformed the game, allowing James Hook to add to his reputation with five penalties and a conversion of a try by Nikki Walker.

Guardian Service

OSPREYS: Byrne (Terblanche, 38); Walker, Bishop, Henson, S Williams; Hook, Marshall (Spice , 77); D Jones (capt; James, 77), B Williams, A Jones, Cockbain, Wyn Jones, Tiatia (Lloyd, 2), Tandy, R Jones. Try: Walker. Con: Hook. Pens: Hook 5. Sin-bin: Spice, 80.

STADE FRANCAIS: Hernandez; Saubade, Messina (Mirco Bergamasco, 56), Liebenberg, Dominici; Skrela (Beauxis, 45), Pichot; Roncero, Blin (Szarzewski, 59), Marconnet, Auradou (capt; James, 70), Du Plooy, Burban (Martin, 66), Rabadan, Parisse. Try: Hernandez. Con: Skrela. Pens: Skrela 3, Beauxis. Drop-goal: Skrela. Sin-bin Du Plooy, 61.

Referee C White (England).