Ulster suffer home defeat to Saracens

The Londoners out-scored Dan McFarland’s side by seven tries to three, with their final three touch downs coming despite having 14 men on the pitch.

It took Ulster three minutes to breach the former English and European xhampions’ try line.

The home side turned the ball over from the kick-off and worked the phases in the Saracens ‘22’, eventually forcing a penalty...Ian Madigan went to the corner.

From the line out, Ulster got their rolling maul rumbling towards the line, it was stopped but Matty Rea picked up and drove over from close range with Madigan converting.

Ulster’s lead lasted only four minutes, Saracens won a penalty and went for touch.

The English side moved the ball quickly across the pitch, Andy Goode drew the last two defenders before putting full back Elliott Obatoyinbo through the gap to race over, Goode added the conversion.

Saracens exposed the Ulster defence again four minutes later.

From a turnover deep in their own territory, Ben Earle and Rotimi Segun took the visitors into the Ulster ‘22’, after a couple of phases the ball was quickly recycled and Welsh centre Nick Tompkins went over for an unconverted try.

Mark McCall’s side crossed again on 14 minutes, Goode went to the corner from a penalty, the forwards executed a perfect catch and drive with hooker Tom Woolstencroft touching down at the base of the maul, Goode converted.

Segun was next to cross for Saracens on 18 minutes, Goode created space with a pass wide and the winger was able to elude Craig Gilroy and Ben Moxham to go over in the corner.

Goode converted from a tight angle.

A mixture of good defence and mistakes meant there was no more scoring in the first half as Saracens held a 26-7 lead at the interval.

Moxham was denied a try on 49 minutes when he was put clear from a quick tap penalty but two covering Saracens defenders were able to steer the Ulster winger into touch.

Saracens were reduced to 14 men on 51 minutes as replacement scrum half Ivan van Zyl took Gilroy out in the air and referee Frank Murphy had no hesitation to show a red card.

Ulster made their numerical advantage count four minutes later.

The home side showed patience on the Saracens try line before prop Andy Warwick squeezed over with Madigan converting.

Ulster reduced the arrears to five points going into the final quarter as replacement hooker Brad Roberts was propelled over from a rolling maul, with Madigan converting.

Ulster’s hopes of a comeback victory were ended with two tries in four minutes by Saracens winger Ben Harris.

The former England 7s player finished off a sweeping move on 65 minutes for an unconverted try.

Conor Rankin misjudged Manu Vunipola’s crossfield kick, allowing Harris to gather and have an easy run in for his second try.

Harris completed his hat-trick on 73 minutes - Azur Allison threw a wild pass in his own ‘22’, the Saracens winger was able to hack on and collect his own kick for a third try in eight minutes, with Vunipola converting.

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