ULSTER SURVIVED TWO yellow cards and a late fightback from the Scarlets to maintain their unbeaten start to the Guinness Pro14 season and record their fifth bonus point win in seven games by downing the Welsh outfit 26-24 at Kingspan Stadium.

In what was a much nervier game than they would have undoubtedly hoped for: Bill Johnston’s conversion of Kieran Treadwell’s bonus-point try ultimately proved the difference between the two sides, with Dan McFarland’s team just about managing to hold onto the 12-point lead they had amassed at the break.

Rob Lyttle, Stewart Moore and Sean Reidy all crossed before half-time, with Treadwell adding the fourth try midway through the second half, but not before they conceded two quick tries at the start of the second 40. As a result, Phil Price’s late score made for an uneasy finish for the hosts.

Ironically, Treadwell was perhaps very fortunate to still be on the pitch in the second half after he saw yellow for a high tackle on Javan Sebastian, and Ulster also had to deal with losing Matt Faddes for a high tackle on Steff Evans early in the second half, but they came through that to make it seven wins on the bounce for the northern province.

It came at a cost, however, as the game was only four minutes old when Ulster suffered a massive blow, with the hugely unfortunate Luke Marshall paying the price for a barnstorming drive at the Scarlets’ whitewash, having to be carted off with what appeared to be a knee injury, continuing his horrendous run of luck.

Luke Marshall is carted off with what appeared to be a knee injury. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

But despite that blow, it didn’t take long for Ulster to strike first, John Cooney spotting the overlap down the blindside and feeding Faddes, who had Rob Lyttle on his outside shoulder to take it over the line courtesy of a nice step inside Angus O’Brien.

Ulster were then perhaps somewhat fortunate that Treadwell only saw yellow when his shoulder struck Sebastian in the head, and also that the Scarlets only found their way over the line once during that period, Paul Asquith making the most of the extra numbers out wide with the lock in the sin bin.

But the hosts repelled a couple of dominant driving mauls from the Welsh side to avoid falling further behind on the scoreboard and then struck a hammer blow of their own when Treadwell returned, as centre Stewart Moore picked off a Dane Blacker pass on his own 22 and took it the length of the pitch for the try.

Stewart Moore takes one to the house. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

And having barely threatened outside their two tries, Ulster would go in at the interval two scores to the good when Reidy muscled his way over under the posts for their third try of the night following a couple of good carries by Stewart Moore and Marcell Coetzee.

But having done so well to extend their lead just before the break, the hosts’ performance after the restart couldn’t have gone much worse. Not only did the Scarlets make it a one-score game when winger Ryan Conbeer collected Steff Hughes’ crossfield kick to score 78 seconds after the resumption, the province also lost Faddes for a high tackle on Steff Evans.

And, just like Treadwell’s, this yellow card would prove costly. Off first-phase ball from a scrum, Tyler Morgan scythed through a little too easily to get in behind the defence, and he had Steff Evans on his outside shoulder to power down the wing and over in the corner for the try that would have tied the scores had O’Brien’s conversion not rebounded back at him off the post.

Just as soon as the Welsh side had made it interesting, however, Treadwell ensured the lion’s share of the points would be remaining in Belfast. Attempting to clear their lines from a defensive line-out having managed to stop Lyttle from grabbing a second from a Johnston crossfield kick, the Scarlets turned over possession and the rampaging lock wasn’t going to be denied from five metres out.

Replacement loosehead Phil Price went over from the back of a driving maul with three minutes remaining for the plucky Scarlets, who take a respectable return of two points from Kingspan Stadium, but it was too little too late for the visitors, as the Ulster winning run continues to gather momentum.

Scorers: For Ulster:
Tries: Lyttle, S Moore, Reidy, Treadwell
Cons: Cooney (2), Johnston

For Scarlets:
Tries: Asquith, Conbeer, S Evans, P Price
Cons: O’Brien (2)

ULSTER RUGBY: Michael Lowry; Matt Faddes (Ian Madigan 59), Luke Marshall (Craig Gilroy 4), Stewart Moore, Rob Lyttle; Bill Johnston, John Cooney (Alby Mathewson 56); Eric O’Sullivan (Kyle McCall 73), John Andrew (Adam McBurney 56), Marty Moore (Tom O’Toole 56); Alan O’Connor (David O’Connor 73), Kieran Treadwell; Matty Rea (Jordi Murphy 53), Sean Reidy, Marcell Coetzee.
Yellow cards: Kieran Treadwell (18), Matt Faddes (47)

SCARLETS: Angus O’Brien; Ryan Conbeer, Steff Hughes, Paul Asquith (Tyler Morgan 53), Steff Evans; Dan Jones (Sam Costelow 61), Dane Blacker (Will Homer 68); Rob Evans (Phil Price 63), Taylor Davies (Daf Hughes 43), Javan Sebastian (Werner Kruger 18); Jac Price, Danny Drake; Ed Kennedy (Uzair Cassiem 56), Jac Morgan, Sione Kalamafoni (Dan Davis 72)

Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)