Edinburgh - 20 Ulster - 15: After two successive wins in the defence of the Magners League title, Ulster came unstuck at Murrayfield last night. Mark McCall's side had opportunities, particularly in the first half, to establish a big lead, but ultimately they were outgunned up front.

Without a solid platform at scrumtime and with Edinburgh's Ross Rennie winning more than his fair share at the breakdown, the visitors were bogged down in a dogfight. The only try of the game came late in the first half when wing Ben Cairns raced over in injury time following a break by Allister Hogg from a restart after Chris Paterson had slotted one of his four penalties.

Ulster could muster only three penalties, by David Humphreys, in the opening period and trailed by eight points at the break. Humphreys landed a fourth penalty after Tim Barker had made the hard yards in midfield. But Ulster again were pinned back in their half, with their scrum guilty of conceding possession again.

They could, however, have cut the deficit further but Humphreys pulled a long-range penalty wide. And with Maxwell and Barker providing some go-forward ball, Paddy Wallace almost carved his way through.

A penalty miss by Paterson let Ulster off the hook, and when Humphreys slotted his fifth penalty on 65 minutes, the game was on a knife edge. Paterson, however, slotted his fourth penalty three minutes later.

SCORING SEQUENCE: 3 mins: D Humphreys pen, 3-0; 8: P Godman drop-goal, 3-3; 11: C Paterson pen, 6-3; 21: Paterson pen, 9-3; 23: Humphreys pen, 9-6; 32: Humphreys pen, 9-9; 39: Paterson pen, 12-9; 40: B Cairns try, 17-9; 42: Humphreys pen, 17-12; 65: Humphreys pen, 17-15; 69: Paterson pen, 20-15.

EDINBURGH GUNNERS: H Southwell; C Paterson, M Di Rollo, R Dewey, B Cairns; P Godman, M Blair; A Jacobsen, D Hall, A Dickinson; M Mustchin, S Murray; A Strokosch, R Rennie, A Hogg. Replacements: M Pike for Di Rollo (61), A Kelly for Hall (68), D Hodge for Godman (68), D Hewett for Dickinson (76).

ULSTER: B Cunningham; M Bartholomeusz, P Steinmetz, P Wallace, A Maxwell; D Humphreys, I Boss; J Fitzpatrick, R Best, B Young; T Barker, M McCullough; S Ferris, K Dawson, R Wilson. Replacements: N McMillan for Dawson (57), T Court for Young (62), K Campbell for Boss (65), K Maggs for Wallace (71).

Referee: H Watkins (WRU).