URC: Ulster 30 Scarlets 28
Somehow, Ulster prevailed in a game which looked lost, skipper Alan O’Connor’s literally last-gasp score and then Nathan Doak’s conversion earning them a slender but vital victory.
In a game full of ebb and flow, Ulster struggled to keep any lead they earned but eventually found a strong finish to prevent three straight losses, keeping them in the hunt to perhaps find a route back to the top eight.
The home side made a horrible start and with just five minutes gone Gareth Davies spotted space in the host’s 22, his chip being easily collected on the bounce by winger Macs Page who ran in under the posts. Ioan Lloyd converted easily.
Then, on 10 minutes, Scarlets scored again. This time they moved the ball from a scrum after Ulster had knocked-on at a lineout. Page passed to fullback Ioan Nicholas, who had earlier supplied his winger, and was granted the return to score. Lloyd missed the conversion from the touchline.
Ulster responded with a try from Nick Timoney on 22 minutes after they won a penalty and kicked for the corner and mauled over. Jack Murphy supplied a super conversion to cut their deficit back to 12-7.
Murphy then added a penalty to make it 12-10 to the visitors on 28 minutes, before teeing up a monster shot with two minutes left in the opening half, landing the kick from just inside the Scarlets’ half to put the home side ahead the first time.
It didn’t last though, as Ulster strayed offside. With the clock in red, Lloyd kicked the penalty giving Scarlets a 15-13 lead at the break.
Ulster’s response after the restart was to launch Stuart McCloskey on a charge and from the subsequent penalty, Murphy edged his team back ahead.
However, two minutes later, Lloyd had another chance to kick three points and did so.
Ulster came back again. Jacob Stockdale appeared fortunate after a collision with Page and the hosts won a series of penalties which resulted in Callum Reid barging through off a tap-and-go which Murphy converted.
But an Ulster loose ball was scooped up off the deck and intercepted to allow replacement Vaea Fifita to race away and score at the sticks for the visitors. Lloyd’s conversion put Scarlets in front again, the outhalf the slotting a 70th-minute penalty to put his side 28-23 to the good.
Ulster needed an escape route and they found it in the 79th minute when O’Connor powered over the line to tie it up following a sustained period of pressure, Doak’s conversion proving the winner.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 4 mins: Page try, Lloyd con 0-7; 10: Nicholas try 0-12; 22: Timoney try, Murphy con 7-12; 27: Murphy pen 10-12; 37: Murphy pen 13-12; 40+1: Lloyd pen 13-15; Half-time: 13-15; 43: Murphy pen 16-15; 46: Lloyd pen 16-18; 53: Reid try, Murphy con 23-18; 57: Fifita try, Lloyd con 23-25; 70: Lloyd pen 23-28; 77: O’Connor try, Doak con 30-28.
ULSTER: S Moore; M Lowry, J Hume, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; J Murphy, C McKee; C Reid, R Herring, S Wilson; A O’Connor, M Dalton; M Rea, N Timoney, J McNabney.
Replacements: T O’Toole for Wilson (47 mins), J Postlethwaite for Hume (54), N Doak for McKee (60), S Crean for Reid, D McCann for Rea (both 65), J Andrew for Herring, K Treadwell for Dalton (both 66), J Flannery for Murphy (73).
SCARLETS: I Nicholas; M Page, J Roberts, J Williams, T Lewis; I Lloyd, G Davies; A Hepburn, R Elias, S Wainwright; A Craig, S Lousi; M Douglas, D Davis, J Taylor.
Replacements: M van der Merwe for Elias, V Fifita for Douglas (both 50 mins), J Price for Craig (68), S O’Connor for Hepburn (70), G Hawley for Wainwright (78).
Referee: S Grove-White (Scotland).
