A profitable twenty-minute spell either side of half-time saw Ulster dig out a narrow bonus point win over Connacht in an entertaining game in Dexcom Stadium.
Coming in off the back of successive defeats to Cardiff and Leinster, Ulster overcame a sluggish opening half hour to win the game with a four-try blitz between the 33rd and the 52nd minute, wing Zac Ward scoring a brace of tries to change the course of the match before half-time.
South African winger Werner Kok continued his rich vein of scoring form with a third after the restart, with the bonus point secured with a penalty try five minutes later.
Richie Murphy’s side had to withstand a late surge from the home side, who rustled up two tries in the final quarter but saw the game out to record their fifth domestic win of the season, while condemning the westerners to their fifth defeat.
It was all Connacht in the early stages as Stuart Lancaster’s side dominated possession and territory, albeit without registering anything on the scoreboard in the opening quarter.
The home side finally broke the deadlock on the 23rd minute mark. From a lineout on the right wing, they shifted the ball through the backs, with Finn Treacy darting over in the left-hand corner, cutting inside the ineffective cover tackle of Ward to race in for the score.
Finlay Bealham took the plaudits after engineering a scrum penalty under the posts on 32 minutes, Sam Gilbert doing the needful to stretch the hosts’ lead out to 10-0.
The momentum swung hard, however, in the last 10 minutes of the half, as Ulster rose from their slumber, Ward scoring a brace of tries to send the visitors into the lead at half-time.
The Down-born wing dived over in the corner after what was Ulster’s first serious attack, following a slick backline move involving both Werner Kok and Jacob Stockdale.
The video referee had a lengthy look a potential knock-on from Juarno Augustus at the base of the ruck but determined, after several viewings, that there was no conclusive proof it came off the hand rather than the boot and the try was allowed to stand, to the annoyance of the home crowd.
With the clock in the red, Ward scored his and Ulster’s second, taking a deft pop pass from Stockdale tight to the left touchline, showing neat footwork to stay in play while evading a couple of attempted tackles to scamper over for the score.
Zac Ward scored two first half tries
There was a flashpoint early in the second half with several players involved in a melee after a clash between Connacht centre Bundee Aki and Ulster’s Stuart McCloskey, which resulted in both men being shown a yellow card.
Ulster extended their lead after the break, with Stockdale again pivotal in the creation of the third try. A score was inevitabile after his skip pass wide right put David McCann into space. The flanker passed to Kok on his inside shoulder, the South African wing galloping into open country to score his fifth try in the last three outings.
The visitors now thoroughly on top, they had their bonus point try after 53 minutes following a sustained bout of pressure in the Connacht 22.
After a couple of lineout mauls were halted illegally, the pack appeared to be grinding its way inexorably towards the try-line on the third attempt. Hooker Tom Stewart made a lunge for the try-line although referee Eoghan Cross wasn’t inclined to wait to check if he made it, instead awarding the penalty try and flashing a yellow card at Connacht second row Joe Joyce.
The westerners weathered the spell when they were a man down and got a lifeline with 14 minutes remaining. Replacement Josh Iaone punched a hole in midfield to lay the groundwork for the corner. Treacy was brought down almost at the try-line but Connacht recycled swiftly and Sean Janssen took the next pass at pace to power over from close range.
That set the scene for a grandstand finish. After being penalised for a crooked lineout, the hosts were handed back possession after Stockdale’s sloppy pass resulted in a Kok knock-on.
Sam Gilbert and Zac Ward contest a high ball
Attacking off the back of the scrum, Iaone knifed through the heart of the Ulster defence after a clever dummy before flinging a pass wide. Ulster were penalised as they attempted to halt the move and Connacht kicked the resultant penalty into the corner.
The home side secured possession and pounded away close to the line for several phases before Matthew Devine burrowed over, Gilbert subsequently narrowing the gap to two.
Two points behind, they secured the restart but struggled to make headway, eventually kicking a contestable which they were unable to reclaim.
Ulster took the sting out of things and expertly ran down the clock until Connacht were penalised at a ruck just inside their own 10-metre line. Jack Murphy allowed the clock to pass into the red before slotting the penalty.
There was still time for another play but Connacht knocked on at the restart, bringing an end to the game.