A DRAMATIC finish from Ulster halted their two-game losing streak when skipper Alan O’Connor’s late try followed by Nathan Doak’s conversion allowed the province to manage a great escape from what appeared to be another league defeat.
In a game which saw the lead fluctuate, Ulster’s playoff hopes are now still just about intact as they won for only the fifth time this season from 12 rounds of URC games.
With five minutes gone, Gareth Davies chipped over the top of a ruck and the ball was collected on the bounce by winger Macs Page who ran in under the posts, allowing Ioan Lloyd to convert easily.
Five more minutes elapsed before the Scarlets scored again when they moved the ball from a scrum and full-back Ioan Nicholas made the line rather easily though Lloyd missed the conversion from the touchline.
Ulster had to find a way into the game and did so with a try from Nick Timoney when a penalty was put to the corner and the province then mauled over. Jack Murphy followed it up with a great conversion to make it 12-7 to the Welsh region.
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Murphy added a penalty for the visitors and then hit a huge shot with two minutes left to put Ulster ahead for the first time in the match.
But Ulster couldn’t see out the half and protect their lead, after going offside and with the clock in red, Lloyd kicked the penalty, and the Scarlets led at the midway point.
Ulster responded with another Murphy penalty, putting his side back in front at 16-15, but two minutes later, Lloyd slotted his second penalty.
Ulster struck again when the hosts won a series of penalties which resulted in Callum Reid barging through after a tap and go which Murphy converted.
But the Scarlets had it back again from an intercept that allowed replacement Vaea Fifita to race clear, Lloyd’s conversion putting the Scarlets in front again.
Lloyd then slotted a 70th-minute penalty to put the Welsh 28-23 ahead but Ulster found a way out when O’Connor powered over the line to tie it up, with Doak’s conversion winning the contest.
Ulster: S Moore; M Lowry, J Hume, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; J Murphy, C McKee; C Reid, R Herring, S Wilson; A O’Connor (capt), M Dalton; Matty Rea, N Timoney, J McNabney
Replacements: J Andrew for Herring 66mins, S Crean for Reid 65mins, T O’Toole for Wilson 47mins, K Treadwell for Dalton 66mins, D McCann for Rea 65mins, N Doak for McKee 60mins, J Flannery for Murphy 73mins, J Postlethwaite for Hume 54mins.
Scarlets: I Nicholas; M Page, J Roberts, J Williams, T Lewis; I Lloyd, G Davies; A Hepburn, R Elias (capt), S Wainwright; A Craig, S Lousi; M Douglas, D Davis, J Taylor
Replacements: M van der Merwe for Elias 50mins, S O’Connor for Hepburn 70mins, G Hawley for Wainwright mins, J Price for Craig 68mins, V Fifita for Douglas 50mins, A Hughes for mins, C Titcombe and S Evans unused.
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Ulster end two-game losing streak in dramatic fashion
Ulster 30
Scarlets 28
A DRAMATIC finish from Ulster halted their two-game losing streak when skipper Alan O’Connor’s late try followed by Nathan Doak’s conversion allowed the province to manage a great escape from what appeared to be another league defeat.
In a game which saw the lead fluctuate, Ulster’s playoff hopes are now still just about intact as they won for only the fifth time this season from 12 rounds of URC games.
With five minutes gone, Gareth Davies chipped over the top of a ruck and the ball was collected on the bounce by winger Macs Page who ran in under the posts, allowing Ioan Lloyd to convert easily.
Five more minutes elapsed before the Scarlets scored again when they moved the ball from a scrum and full-back Ioan Nicholas made the line rather easily though Lloyd missed the conversion from the touchline.
Ulster had to find a way into the game and did so with a try from Nick Timoney when a penalty was put to the corner and the province then mauled over. Jack Murphy followed it up with a great conversion to make it 12-7 to the Welsh region.
Murphy added a penalty for the visitors and then hit a huge shot with two minutes left to put Ulster ahead for the first time in the match.
But Ulster couldn’t see out the half and protect their lead, after going offside and with the clock in red, Lloyd kicked the penalty, and the Scarlets led at the midway point.
Ulster responded with another Murphy penalty, putting his side back in front at 16-15, but two minutes later, Lloyd slotted his second penalty.
Ulster struck again when the hosts won a series of penalties which resulted in Callum Reid barging through after a tap and go which Murphy converted.
But the Scarlets had it back again from an intercept that allowed replacement Vaea Fifita to race clear, Lloyd’s conversion putting the Scarlets in front again.
Lloyd then slotted a 70th-minute penalty to put the Welsh 28-23 ahead but Ulster found a way out when O’Connor powered over the line to tie it up, with Doak’s conversion winning the contest.
Ulster: S Moore; M Lowry, J Hume, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; J Murphy, C McKee; C Reid, R Herring, S Wilson; A O’Connor (capt), M Dalton; Matty Rea, N Timoney, J McNabney
Replacements: J Andrew for Herring 66mins, S Crean for Reid 65mins, T O’Toole for Wilson 47mins, K Treadwell for Dalton 66mins, D McCann for Rea 65mins, N Doak for McKee 60mins, J Flannery for Murphy 73mins, J Postlethwaite for Hume 54mins.
Scarlets: I Nicholas; M Page, J Roberts, J Williams, T Lewis; I Lloyd, G Davies; A Hepburn, R Elias (capt), S Wainwright; A Craig, S Lousi; M Douglas, D Davis, J Taylor
Replacements: M van der Merwe for Elias 50mins, S O’Connor for Hepburn 70mins, G Hawley for Wainwright mins, J Price for Craig 68mins, V Fifita for Douglas 50mins, A Hughes for mins, C Titcombe and S Evans unused.
Referee: S Grove-White (SRU)
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Alan O'Connor dramatic fashion Nathan Doak Relief Rugby Scarlets Ulster