Ulster 14 Dragons 16: ULSTER find themselves rooted to the bottom of the Magners League this morning after Newport Gwent Dragons inflicted an embarrassing defeat on the former champions at Ravenhill last night.
Matt Williams's side were humbled by a side that shipped 50 points to Munster last Sunday and had gone into the game on the back of three successive defeats.
And though Ulster looked well-placed to break their own league duck when Kieron Dawson raced over for a converted first-half try, the Dragons hauled themselves back with three penalties by James Arlidge and a converted second-half try by Ashley Smith.
Ulster, who once again were left to rue a horrendously high penalty count, did manage a late rally, Ian Humphreys scoring a try on his competitive debut for his province, but it proved in vain.
And a losing bonus point was little consolation to the Ravenhill crowd, some sections in the crowd of 7,885 booing their team at the final whistle.
The first half proved a false dawn for Ulster, who started full of vim but went into the interval having lost their way and the lead.
Veteran flanker Dawson had given the home side the perfect platform in the 13th minute, finishing off a lineout move straight from the training paddock, Clinton Schifcofske converting.
Yet from a position where Ulster dominated possession and territory, the Dragons were gifted a foothold in the game via the home side's criminally high penalty count at the breakdown.
Ulster conceded eight penalties in the first half alone and three were converted by the Dragons outhalf James Alridge, to put the visitors two points ahead at the break.
The Dragons landed a killer blow in the 70th minute when centre Ashley Smith took advantage of a mix-up in the Ulster defence from a high ball to touch down for a try, which was converted by Arlidge.
Nine points adrift, Ulster were now in serious trouble, but they dug deep to find one last rally, with Humphreys finishing off a frantic move for his first try in the 77th minute, Schifcofske's conversion bringing the home side within two points again.
It sparked a dramatic finale with the home side running the ball from deep and Cunningham hitting the line superbly, but it proved in vain as the Dragons held on.
SCORING SEQUENCE:13 mins: K Dawson try, C Schifcofske con, 7-0; 18: J Arlidge pen, 7-3; 30: Arlidge pen, 7-6; 40: Arlidge pen, 7-9; 70: A Smith try, Arlidge con, 7-16; 77: I Humphreys try, Schifcofske con, 14-16;
ULSTER:C Schifcofske; A Trimble, D Cave, R Dewey (B Cunningham 72), T Nagusa; N O'Connor (I Humphreys 55), l Boss (C Willis 61); T Court (J Fitzpatrick 61); R Best (capt), B Botha, R Caldwell, E ODonoghue (C Del Fava 61), M McCullough (T Anderson 64), K Dawson, R Diack.
DRAGONS:P Dollman; G Wyatt, R Sidey, A Smith, R Fussell; J Arlidge, W Evans; A Black (H Gustafson 60), T Willis (capt), Rhys M Thomas, A Jones, L Charteris, J Bearman, R Parks, G Webb (J Ringer 60).
Referee:A Macpherson (Scotland).
