Dragons 23 Ulster 6:ULSTER FAILED to improve their woeful record against Newport Gwent Dragons with another limp defeat at Rodney Parade.
Brian McLaughlin’s men had lost four out of their last five meetings with the Welsh region in the Magners League and endured more misery through tries from Aled Brew and second half strikes from Richard Fussell and Ashley Smith.
Ulster outhalf Ian Humphreys replied with two penalties, one in either half.
The result puts the Dragons top of the table on points difference from Glasgow.
McLaughlin handed forward pair Andy Kyriacou and Dan Tuhoy their debuts following their summer moves from Saracens and Exeter Chiefs respectively.
The hosts had also been busy in the transfer market too, with prop Ali McKenzie, flanker Gavin Thomas and Wales wing Brew, in his third spell with the Welsh region, all given the chance to impress.
Dragons coach Paul Turner also named Tom Riley at centre and the inclusion of the 24-year-old paid quick dividends as he produced the try-scoring pass for Brew after 13 minutes.
Fussell collected James Arlidge’s short pass on the angle and after cutting Ulster’s defensive line, the left wing fed Riley, who found Brew and the winger galloped clear for the try-line.
Arlidge missed the conversion and Ulster number 10 Humphreys showed him the way two minutes later with a close-range penalty.
Outhalf Arlidge did find his range after 26 minutes but the home side suffered a blow when captain Tom Willis limped off with a suspected knee injury.
Ulster failed to capitalise when Humphreys sliced his close-range penalty to the right of the posts but the visitors were forced into changes, with Paddy Wallace called on to replace shoulder injury victim Bryn Cunningham.
Both sides were reduced to 14 men on the stroke of half-time when Italian official Carlo Damasco lost patience with props BJ Botha and McKenzie for illegal scrimmaging and they went to the sin-bin.
That handed Arlidge a third penalty chance which soon became a fourth but the Kiwi failed on both occasions as the Dragons held an 8-3 interval advantage.
The second period failed to spark until Fussell capitalised on Botha’s fumble and his mazy run put the home side on the front foot.
With extra number to the right, flanker Dan Lydiate tried to spread the ball wide quickly and Ulster were penalised for offside.
Arlidge slotted home his second penalty but within five minutes, Ulster reduced the deficit to just five points thanks to Humphreys.
But the Dragons clinched victory with a try worthy of winning any match in the 63rd minute. Arlidge’s long-pass saw Riley cut through the Ulster defence and fullback Jason Tovey supplied Fussell to finish in the left corner.
Centre Smith then rubbed salt in the wounds and sealed the win with a third on 67 minutes. Replacement hooker Steve Jones put in a big hit on Humphreys and Smith pounced on the loose ball by showing superb football skills before diving over the line.
Tovey took over the kicking duties from Arlidge and it seemed to work a treat as the left-footed young gun used the wind to his advantage as the ball sailed through the posts.
DRAGONS:J Tovey; A Brew, T Riley, A Smith, R Fussell; J Arlidge, W Evans ; A McKenzie, T Willis (capt), N Hall , A Jones, L Charteris, D Lydiate, J Bearman, G Thomas. Replacements:S Jones for Willis (27 mins), H Gustafson for Lydiate (41-48 mins), Gustafson for McKenzie (57 mins), R Sidoli for A Jones (60 mins), A Walker for Evans (72 mins), G Robinson for Hall (77 mins), Thomas for Tovey (80 mins)
ULSTER:B Cunningham; T Nagusa, A Trimble, I Whitten, S Danielli; I Humphreys, I Boss; B Young, A Kyriacou, BJ Botha , D Tuohy, R Caldwell, C Henry (capt), R Diack, W Faloon. Replacements:E O'Donoghue for Caldwell (30 mins), P Wallace for Cunningham (33 mins), D Fitzpatrick for Faloon (41-48 mins), N Brady for Kyriacou (57 mins), D Cave for Nagua (62 mins), P Marshall for Boss (68 mins), T Anderson for Faloon for Faloon (69 mins), D Fitzpatrick for Botha (70 mins), I Boss for Whitten (80 mins)
Referee:C Damasco (Italy)
