Ulster 26-12 Bath: Ulster opened their Heineken Cup campaign with a valuable home win over Guinness Premiership opposition ahead of next week's trip to Edinburgh. Outhalf Ian Humphreys again produced an eye-catching performance for the home side, scoring 16 points with the boot from three penalties, a drop goal and two conversions.

Ulster scored tries in either half from Fijian winger Timoci Nagusa and man of the match, flanker Willie Faloon, while a disappointing Bath could only manage four penalties from Ryan Davis.

After Davis and Humphreys had exchanged early penalties, Ulster gave the ball width from quickly moved lineout ball and found space out on the left wing.

Darren Cave put Clinton Schifcofske into open territory and also conveniently tugged at Joe Maddock's jersey as the Ulster full-back barrelled on towards the line. From the ruck, Nagusa smashed over and Humphreys added the extras to the 14th-minute score.

But Bath came back with Davis' second penalty seven minutes later after Ulster strayed offside. Much of the remainder was fairly scrappy with neither side really imposing any pattern, though Humphreys' 34th-minute penalty after Bath pulled down a driving maul just stayed left of the upright.

And just to add to the lack of precision Bath skipper Michael Claassens knocked a ball on with his team-mates on the overlap screaming for him to move it left just inside Ulster's 22.

Still, Ulster started the second half strongly and a series of pick and drives instigated from a lineout take by Stephen Ferris resulted in Humphreys calmly slotting a drop-goal to give Ulster a 13-6 lead two minutes into the half.

That was then extended following a passage of play when Davis was charged down twice before Ulster countered after the visiting out-half finally cleared from behind his own line.

In midfield, soft hands from Humphreys put hooker Andy Kyriacou through and he drew the cover to put Faloon under the posts. Humphreys easily converted, but Ulster's 20-9 lead was short lived as, from the restart, Ulster conceded a penalty which Davis converted to make it 20-12 five minutes before the hour mark.

It didn't last though and, two minutes later, Bath killed the ball on the floor and Humphreys kicked his second penalty.

With ten minutes left and the game effectively over, Humphreys was wide with a drop goal attempt but then landed another penalty after Bath's Andy Beattie was sin-binned for what appeared to be dangerous use of the boot.