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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Ben James

Ulster 40-19 Dragons: Improved Gwent side show some spirit in Belfast

A spirited second-half comeback against wasn't enough as the Dragons fell to a 10th successive defeat in the United Rugby Championship against Ulster in Belfast.

Dai Flanagan's men had turned a 26-7 scoreline into a one-score gap with a couple of quickfire tries, only for Ulster to pull away again for a comfortable victory in the end. However, the Dragons were far from humiliated at Ravenhill - a welcome boost after a couple of shocking performances against Glasgow and Ospreys.

After Ulster flanker David McCann's opener, the Dragons hit back through a try from fly-half Angus O'Brien after brilliant work by Taine Basham. However, a brace of driving lineout tries from hooker Tom Stewart pushed the home side 12 points clear at the break.

And when Stewart claimed a hat-trick after half-time, the fear was another heavy defeat for the Gwent side.

However, quickfire scores by hooker Elliot Dee - on his 100th league appearance - and scrum-half Rhodri Williams saw Flanagan's side threaten a comeback.

That didn't materialise as play-off bound Ulster took control towards the end of the match, with Nick Timoney's score giving them breathing space ahead of a last-minute penalty try.

Ulster: Mike Lowry, Craig Gilroy, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns, John Cooney; Eric O’Sullivan, Tom Stewart, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor, Sam Carter, David McCann, Marcus Rea, Duane Vermeulen

Replacements: John Andrew, Andy Warwick, Jeffery Toomaga Allen, Kieran Treadwell, Nick Timoney, Nathan Doak, Stewart Moore, Ethan McIlroy

Dragons RFC: Jordan Williams, Rio Dyer, Jared Rosser, Max Clark, Ashton Hewitt, Angus O’Brien, Rhodri Williams; Rhodri Jones, Elliot Dee, Leon Brown, Ben Carter, Matthew Screech, George Nott, Taine Basham, Aaron Wainwright

Replacements: Brodie Coghlan, Josh Reynolds, Lloyd Fairbrother, Sean Lonsdale, George Young, Lewis Jones, Will Reed, Aneurin Owen

Referee: Ben Blain (Scot)

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