Determined display as Ulster see off Scarlets

Nathan Doak broke the deadlock on three minutes with a simple penalty from in front of the posts just outside the 22, after the Scarlets strayed offside at the ruck.

Centre Steff Hughes’ marauding run earned the visitors a penalty as Ulster infringed at the breakdown and Scarlets out half Dan Jones knocked over the kick to level the scores on nine minutes.

Craig Gilroy crossed on 17 minutes, but the try was chalked off as centre Angus Curtis knocked the ball on in the build-up.

Ulster were denied another try three minutes later, from a driving maul the forwards rumbled over but the Scarlets defence prevented the ball being grounded and forced a goal line drop out to clear the danger.

Gilroy was yellow carded on 27 minutes for making contact with his shoulder to Tom Rogers’ head and it could have been red if the Scarlets winger hadn’t dipped going into the tackle.

The Scarlets enjoyed the benefits immediately from their numerical advantage as Wales prop Samson Lee went over from close range two minutes later.

Flanker Sione Kalamafoni exploded off a lineout to get the visitors’ front foot ball, Ioan Nicholas set Dan Jones free down the wing, he was stopped short but Lee squeezed over with the out half converting.

Ulster responded on 34 minutes, they were awarded a penalty in front of the posts, Duane Vermeulen tapped and went, he was stopped, the forwards had another go but came up short before Doak hit Curtis on a short ball and the centre barged over.

Doak converted and Jones missed a penalty late in the first half so the sides went into the interval level at 10-10.

Ulster nearly got their second try on 46 minutes as full back Ethan McIlroy fielded a high ball and set off on a counterattack, his pace took him deep into Scarlets territory before he fed Doak, the scrum half put a kick behind the defence but Nicholas won the foot race with the Ulster pivot touching down over his own line for a 22 drop out.

Ulster regained the lead on 52 minutes, Gilroy’s jinking run took him close to the line, the forwards then probed before Wallaby lock Sam Carter rumbled over but Doak failed to convert.

The sides were level again on 62 minutes when from an attacking five-metre scrum the Scarlets worked the ball through over 20 phases on the Ulster line before replacement prop Kemsley Mathias reached out to touch down.

Jones was off-target with the conversion.

Prop Gareth Milasinovich, back at Ulster after a short-term loan spell with Saracens, restored the home side’s lead three minutes later.

Again, the Welsh side couldn’t deal with the restart and conceded a penalty.

Ulster went to the corner and patiently worked the ball through the phases before the 134kg prop skittled two defenders to touch down with Doak converting.

Gilroy, lucky to still be on the pitch, got Ulster’s bonus point try when Billy Burns made a great line break, Doak hacked on and the ball sat up for the winger to score.

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