Match Centre: European Challenge Cup: Gloucester 23-13 Ospreys

Gloucester 23-13 Ospreys, Kingsholm

Santiago Carreras starred with six penalty kicks as Gloucester edged out Ospreys 23-13 at Kingsholm on Friday to reach the semi-final of the European Challenge Cup.

They will now have a home semi-final against the winner of Benetton and Connacht.

Gloucester got the first points on the board as Justin Tipuric was penalised for going off the feet which Santiago Carreras kicked to perfection to make it 3-0 by the 6th minute.

Ospreys responded back in the 13th minute when Jack Walsh collected a chip over the top from Adam Hastings and went past Carreras to send Keelan Giles over the line and Owen Williams kicked the conversion to make it 3-7.

As Ospreys conceded another scrum penalty, Carreras landed his second three-pointer to make it a one point game before Williams negated his effort with a penalty kick on his own to restore the four point lead for the Welsh province.

Around the half-hour mark, Sebastian Blake touched down at the back of a driving maul. Carreras missed the conversion but made amends with a penalty goal shortly as the Cherry and Whites went into the lead of 14-10 before Williams kicked another penalty from the tee to ensure they brought down the deficit to just one point by the end of the opening half.

Carreras helped Gloucester off the block in the second half with a 50th minute penalty kick but Williams missed his opportunity in the 56th minute. Around the hour mark, Ospreys were penalised for off side and once again Carreras made no mistake as Gloucester extended their lead to 20-13.

Any chance of a comeback for Ospreys was put off as they conceded another scrum penalty in the 65th minute and Carreras punished them with his sixth successful kick to help Gloucester move to the semi-final with a 10 point victory.

Team line up:

Gloucester: Santi Carreras; Jonny May, Max Llewellyn, Seb Atkinson, Jake Morris; Adam Hastings, Stephen Varney; Jamal Ford-Robinson, Seb Blake, Kirill Gotovtsev, Freddie Clarke, Freddie Thomas, Ruan Ackermann, Lewis Ludlow (capt), Zach Mercer.

Reserves: Santi Socino, Mayco Vivas, Fraser Balmain, Albert Tuisue, Jack Clement, Caolan Engelfield, Charlie Atkinson, Chris Harris.

Ospreys: Jack Walsh; Luke Morgan, Keiran Williams, Owen Watkin, Keelan Giles; Owen Williams, Reuben Morgan-Williams; Gareth Thomas, Sam Parry, Tom Botha, James Ratti, Adam Beard, Harri Deaves, Justin Tipuric (capt), Morgan Morris.

Reserves: Lewis Lloyd, Nicky Smith, Rhys Henry, Huw Sutton, Morgan Morse, Luke Davies, Dan Edwards, Max Nagy.