Wasteful Ulster Ravens Suffer Second Defeat
Centre Jacob Stockdale’s late try earned Ulster Ravens a losing bonus point but they suffered a second consecutive British & Irish defeat, going down 22-17 to Yorkshire Carnegie at Kingspan Stadium.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: ULSTER RAVENS 17 YORKSHIRE CARNEGIE 22
The Ravens, sponsored by CD Group, started brightly and following a good drive from Conor Joyce the home side were awarded a penalty. Peter Nelson slotted it over with four minutes on the clock.
Yorkshire Carnegie answered back with the game's opening try on 10 minutes. Having won a penalty, they elected to kick it to the corner and executed a perfected catch and drive, allowing captain Chris Walker to rumble over from close range. Former Ulster back David McIlwaine struck the upright with the conversion.
Ulster Ravens should have had a try when Ricky Andrew made a line break, he had Nelson outside but the full-back went himself and was held up over the line.
Kieran Campbell's young side wasted another chance when Malone scrum half John Creighton knocked on when he tried to ground the ball, diving from the base of a ruck.
Nelson restored the Ravens' lead with his second penalty on 28 minutes after the visitors were caught offside in front of their own posts.
However, the hosts suffered a huge blow when their Ireland-capped centre Luke Marshall had to limp out of the game with a knee injury on the half hour mark.
Yorkshire Carnegie showed their clinical edge again with a try four minutes before the break. Taylor Prell made a line break and evaded some poor tackling before offloading inside for fellow winger Dan Tai to touch down and McIlwaine converted.
Nelson added his third penalty in the 38th minute after the English side were punished for wheeling the scrum, and young out-half Josh Bingham sent the sides in level (12-12) with a drop goal right on the stroke of half-time.
The Ravens squandered another great opportunity at the start of the second period. Lock James Simpson won the ball and made good yardage but with the try-line at his mercy, man-of-the-match Charlie Butterworth dropped the pass.
The visitors then regained the advantage with Tai's second try of the game on 55 minutes. Carnegie moved the ball wide and it looked as if the Ravens defence had dealt with the danger, but Tai managed to roll over and McIlwaine converted from a tight angle.
McIlwaine extended the English Championship outfit's lead with a penalty for 22-12 before the Ravens grabbed their only try – a late unconverted effort.
From a quick tap penalty under the visitors' posts, Under-20 scrum half Connor Young spun the ball wide and it was moved through hands of Sean O'Hagan and Jack Owens who provided the scoring pass to Jacob Stockdale.
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)