Six in a row for Ulster
Ulster moved up to second place in the Magners League on Friday night with a 20-18 victory over Scarlets.
Last Updated: 01/04/11 10:46pm
Ulster moved up to second place in the Magners League on Friday night with a 20-18 victory over Scarlets.
Tries in either half from Ian Humphreys, plus two conversions and penalties from Ruan Pienaar, brought Ulster their sixth win in succession - their best run since 2006's title-winning season.
Scarlets pushed their opponents close and claimed a losing bonus point but the result could end their own play-off hopes.
Brian McLaughlin's side now have three more games in which to secure their place in the semi-finals, but will first concentrate on next weekend's Heineken Cup quarter-final clash with Northampton Saints.
Ulster in fact made a slow start, with poor tactical kicking - Pienaar and Paddy Wallace both kicking the ball out on the full - and an offside enabling Stephen Jones to kick Scarlets ahead with a penalty on eight minutes.
Pienaar then missed with an effort from 55 metres before seeing his second penalty attempt from closer range also catch the wind.
Spark
Their game sparked, however, when Pienaar's pass found Humphreys, who stepped between Lou Reed and Ben Morgan and then evaded Rhys Priestland before scoring under the posts.
Pienaar converted for 7-3 just before the half-hour mark.
Scarlets then had Ben Morgan to thank for a last-ditch covering tackle on Andrew Trimble after the wing had taken Adam D'Arcy's pass in space and appeared set to score.
Stephen Jones pulled the gap back to one point after Simon Danielli was penalised for not rolling away at a ruck but two minutes later the visitors were punished for the same offence.
Pienaar kicked his first successful penalty to give Ulster a 10-6 lead and the South African then stretched their lead further with a strike from the left touchline after Scarlets had gone into a ruck from the side.
Ulster therefore stood 13-6 ahead at the break, but Scarlets hit back seconds after the restart when Jon Davies got past Danielli and D'Arcy to cross in the right corner.
However, Priestland, who had taken over the kicking duties from the substituted Stephen Jones, missed the difficult conversion.
Lucky
Ulster had a lucky escape after Morgan Stoddart touched down - the full-back's try disallowed by the television match official after he was found to have knocked on when trying to reclaim his kick.
Josh Turnbull was sent to the bin for illegal use of the boot after 49 minutes but the Scarlets survived his absence.
Humphreys then strolled over for his second after a move which started when Danielli broke out of his own half before Tom Court and Pienaar drove Ulster on.
Pienaar converted to make the score 20-11 but there was still time for another Scarlets try.
It was scored by replacement Aaron Shingler, who intercepted a Pienaar pass before crossing with Priestland converting.
Ulster's lead was thus cut to two points but they managed to hold on for the vital win.
