A stoppage-time Ospreys try denied the Scarlets a first victory in Swansea since 2017 in another gut-wrenching defeat for Dwayne Peel’s side.
Not for the first time this season, Scarlets suffered late heartache, with Peel afterwards admitting it was the toughest of the lot to take.
His side had led 19-8 at half-time and were full value for their lead. But momentum swung in favour of the home side after the break, with two sin-binnings not helping their cause.
Scarlets scored a superb try on the stroke of half-time by wing Ellis Mee, while Ioan Lloyd kicked four penalties and Sam Costelow another in the second half.
However, with Scarlets down to 14 men in the final tense seconds, replacement Iestyn Hopkins slid over to break hearts on the western side of the Loughor.
A breathless opening saw Scarlets tested defensively with Tom Rogers pulling off a try-saving tackle on Jack Walsh when it looked certain that the full-back was over at the posts.
The home side were on the board first through a Dan Edwards penalty, but the Scarlets, spurred on by their vocal travelling support, then took a grip on the game thanks to some sharp counter attack and the boot of Lloyd.
A turnover penalty from outstanding skipper Josh Macleod led to Lloyd’s first three-pointer, then the full-back was on target again after a coup[le of bursts from Eddie James.
It became 9-3 after a scything break by the impressive Mee from his own half, before a scrum decision led to Lloyd’s fourth success of the night on 32 minutes.
Ospreys were back in the contest four minutes before the interval when hooker Sam Parry touched down from a driving line-out, but there was still time for the Scarlets to hit back and they did it in some style.
A clever line-out move from just inside the Ospreys half saw Costelow pick out half-back Gareth Davies with an inside pass; Davies burst through the gap before sending Mee on a clear run to the line from 25 metres out. Lloyd’s conversion with the last kick of the half made it 19-8 at the break.
Lloyd was just wide with a penalty attempt at the start of the second half and it was the Ospreys who were next on the scoreboard with Justin Tipuric pouncing from close range.
Costelow landed a long-range effort despite the ball twice falling off the kicking tee, but after Sam Lousi was shown yellow for what was deemed a cynical offence on his own line, Edwards reduced the arrears again.
In a dramatic finale, Ioan Nicholas was sin-binned for a deliberate knock on and in the final attack, Hopkins was freed out wide for the winning score.
Scarlets – try: E. Mee. con: I. Lloyd. Pens: Lloyd (4), S. Costelow.
Ospreys – tries: S. Parry, J. Tipuric, I. Hopkins. Con: D. Edwards. Pens: Edwards (2)
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