Ulster Let Lead Slip Against Edinburgh

Ulster faltered in the second half as two penalties from Chris Paterson and Phil Godman’s clinching drop goal proved enough for Edinburgh to take the spoils at Ravenhill and remain top of the pile in the Magners League.

Edinburgh picked up their third straight win of the new Magners League campaign, holding Ulster scoreless in the second half as Chris Paterson and Phil Godman booted them to a Belfast success.

The Ravenhill roar was back in full effect in Brian McLaughlin’s first competitive home match as Ulster coach. The official opening of the province’s new stand also added to the occasion.

Back fully fit after an injury-interrupted Lions tour, Stephen Ferris made his seasonal bow and put his name to the first try of an eventual evening.

Ulster moved the ball at pace, right from the off. Isaac Boss’ zipped passes invited the likes of Ferris and in-form winger Simon Danielli onto the ball.

Ian Whitten made a charging, angled run through the middle but Fijian flyer Timoci Nagusa overran his floated pass, leaving the Edinburgh to breathe again.

The Scottish outfit struggled for territory and the early pressure yielded a try for Ulster, Danielli making good progress down the left before Ferris barged his way over in the corner for an unconverted score.

Edinburgh had made three changes to the side that hammered Connacht at home last weekend – Dutch winger Tim Visser and front rowers Ross Ford and Kyle Traynor got the nod for this game.

Ulster hit double figures, four minutes later, when Australian full-back Clinton Schifcofske dotted down in the right corner after a leg-pumping break by Darren Cave.

Ian Humphreys, so influential in the shock win at the Ospreys, missed his conversion attempt and Edinburgh enjoyed their first spell of possession in Ulster’s half.

The visiting forwards built up a head of steam and Godman began to pull the strings, firing away some testing kicks and linking well with the midfield.

Ulster had had to bide their time for their scores, but Edinburgh showed a clinical edge when Visser wrestled his way over for a try on the half hour mark.

He caught the Ulster defence flatfooted as he stepped and stretched his way over for a second try in two league starts.

Paterson, who worked his way through a long warm-up before kick-off, expertly added the conversion from the touchline.

Humphreys answered back with a penalty, five minutes before the break. Ulster’s 13-7 half-time lead could have done with some extra cushion, however Humphreys was off target with a kickable injury-time penalty.

Six points did not truly reflect the fact that Ulster had bossed proceedings for much of the opening half. Their back row unit of Ferris, Willie Faloon and stand-in captain Chris Henry were particulary strong, and senior debutant Neil McComb was also up to the task in the second row.

Ed O’Donoghue was excellent alongside him, but Ulster just could not put Edinburgh away.

Paddy Wallace, on for Humphreys, missed a drop goal attempt and Ulster’s raids forward were beginning to be curtailed.

Edinburgh quickly turned defence into attack and the introduction of Lions scrum half Mike Blair for the second half gave the visitors a much-needed shot in the arm.

He sniped forward into the Ulster 22, only for a retreating Wallace to ground him with a trip which was spotted by the match officials. The yellow card was produced and Paterson kicked the penalty for a 13-10 scoreline.

Ulster were content to wind down the clock while Wallace was off. They made a valiant attempt to keep the ball in the forwards, however Edinburgh kept their cool and defended strongly throughout a tension-filled second half.

An offside decision allowed the pinpoint Paterson kick his side level, before Godman dropped the match-winning kick – eight minutes from time.

There were heavy hits and knock-ons aplenty in a scrappy finale, and Edinburgh, aided by Blair’s guidance, managed to keep Ulster out near the halfway line as the hosts’ attacks became more and more desperate.

In the end, Ulster will look back on this as a game they should have won. They had enough chances to do so, but Edinburgh’s greater guile and current winning knack helped them secure their ninth straight league victory.