Ulster score seven tries on way to home joy over Dragons

Ulster scored seven tries to record a first home league bonus point win of the season.

The result moves Ulster up to fifth in the table.

It took Ulster just four minutes to break the deadlock when, following good pressure from the pack, the ball was spun to the right wing and Billy Burns put in an inch-prefect grubber kick for full back Will Addison to race on to and touch down with scrum half John Cooney adding the conversion.

The Dragons stunned the sparsely-populated stadium with a try on 12 minutes as Ulster captain James Hume was punished for going off his feet and the Welsh region kicked to the corner. The forwards set up a driving maul, propelling hooker James Benjamin over as Will Reed’s conversion tied the scores.

Ulster regained the lead six minutes later as Marcus Rea won a turnover and the ball was moved quickly through the hands. Addison put flanker David McCann clear, he carried deep into Dragons territory before releasing Mike Lowry to sprint over with Cooney steering home the conversion.

The Dragons were making Ulster work hard in attack, but a third try did arrive on the half-hour mark.

Following a sustained period of pressure in the 22 which included three penalties, Ulster probed at the line before lock Harry Sheridan squeezed over from close range. Cooney was on target with the extras.

The bonus point try came three minutes later as Burns hit Jude Postlewaite on a crash ball, the centre carrying into contact then able to offload out of the tackle for Lowry to cross for his second try of the night.

Cooney’s conversion gave Ulster a 28-7 half-time lead.

The Dragons got the first points of the second half as they built pressure inside the Ulster 22, working the ball through a number of phases before lock Matthew Screech reached out to touch down. But Reed’s conversion hit the upright.

McCann enjoyed the benefits from some slicking handling by Ulster on 57 minutes when the ball was just worked to the wing and the flanker managed to squeeze over in the corner, with Cooney converting from a tight angle.

The Dragons kept battling and were rewarded with a third try on 65 minutes. The visitors were camped before replacement hooker Brodie Coghlan barged over from close range, with Reed converting.

Ulster scored their best try of the night on 72 minutes with Nick Timoney finishing off a flowing move.

The home side moved the ball at speed, Nathan Doak fed Jacob Stockdale, the winger hit the line at pace, carried into the 22 before drawing the last defender and providing the scoring pass for Timoney to run in. Cooney kept his 100 per cent record up off the tee by nailing the conversion.

Ulster cut the Dragons open again three minutes later. Luke Marshall exploited a gap in the visitors’ defence and though his pass wasn’t perfect, McCann showed good hands to reel it in and go over for his second of try of the game – with Cooney converting.

The Dragons secured a bonus point when they were awarded a penalty try in the final minute which saw Timoney yellow-carded for dragging the maul down.

ULSTER: W Addison; E McIlroy, J Hume (capt), Postlethwaite, M Lowry; B Burns, John Cooney; S Kitshoff, T Stewart, T O’Toole, C Izuchukwu, H Sheridan, D McCann, M Rea, N Timoney.

Replacements: J Andrew for T Stewart 67 mins, A Warwick for Kitshoff 52 mins, S Wilson for O’Toole 67 mins, K Treadwell for Izuchkwu 52 mins, S Reffell for Rea 52 mins, N Doak for Burns 52 mins, L Marshall for Postlewaite 67 mins, J Stockdale for Addison 52 mins.

DRAGONS: E Rosser; J Westwood, S Hughes (capt), A Owen, C Baldwin; W Reed, D Blacker; R Martinez, J Benjamin, C Coleman, S Lonsdale, M Screech, D Lydiate, H Taylor, T Basham

Replacements: B Coghlan for Benjamin 59 mins, A Seiuli for Martinez 51 mins, L Yendle for Coleman 51 mins , B Langton-Cryer for Taylor 20 mins, G Nott, G Bertranou for Blacker 51 mins, H Ackerman for Owen 47 mins , H Anderson.

Referee: I Kenny (IRFU)