Matt Williams’ first game in charge of Ulster was one to remember as the province ran six tries past Newport Gwent Dragons at Ravenhill to move off the bottom of the Magners League table.
Matt Williams and the team’s former caretaker coach Steve Williams watched on from the stands as the Australian’s tenure in Belfast began with a bang.
The Dragons, hoping for their first win on Irish soil since 2004, made a slick start and were unfortunate not to bag a sixth-minute try when lock Adam Jones dropped the ball over the hosts’ try line.
Winger Richard Fussell had also just previously knocked on in the left corner as the Welshmen caught the Ulster defence napping.
After Ceri Sweeney had popped a tenth-minute penalty through the posts, Ulster upped their game and after a neat interchange between Nigel Brady and Isaac Boss, only a foot in touch prevented young out-half Niall O’Connor from dotting down in the right corner.
Strike runners Tommy Bowe and Simon Danielli came more and more into the game, but Dragons scrum half Andy Williams was a constant menace and his probing runs offered the visitors some daylight.
Ulster’s patience paid off though in the 26th-minute when a Danielli chip was collected by Bryn Cunningham, a late replacement for Mark Bartholomeusz.
The Dragons defence was stretched out to the left and then right before Bowe provided the assist for the energetic Ryan Caldwell to score.
O’Connor converted but he then exchanged penalty misses with Sweeney before the latter cut the gap for the Dragons to 7-6, swinging over a late penalty after an infringement by Justin Harrison.
However, the second half was just nine minutes old when Adam Black, the Magners League’s most-capped player, was red carded for a reckless challenge on Ulster’s Declan Fitzpatrick.
The Dragons prop was dismissed for aiming his knee into Fitzpatrick’s face and his indisretion left Paul Turner’s men with a mountain to climb.
Ulster assumed control and seven minutes later they had their second try on the board with replacement hooker Rory Best making the whitewash after a neat lineout move.
O’Connor’s successful conversion made it 14-6 but the Dragons remained competitive and the fast-breaking Richard Fussell almost replied with a try after slicing his way through Ulster’s midfield.
Ulster exploited the space in the Dragons rearguard for try number three as Bowe and replacement centre Paddy Wallace combined to set up a score for full-back Cunningham.
A dropped ball from Danielli saw the Scottish international miss out on adding his name to the scoresheet but the Ravenhill crowd did have a bonus point try to cheer soon after when Boss dashed over under the posts.
Another O’Connor conversion made it 28-6 to the home side and Danielli made amends in the 77th-minute when his pace saw him over in the left corner for an unconverted effort.
Wallace slipped out of two tackles in injury-time to claim Ulster’s sixth and final try with flanker Kieron Dawson unusually attempting the conversion which he missed.
There was still time for the Dragons to notch a consolation score through replacement centre Phil Dollman, who collected a chip before crossing the whitewash, but there was no denying Ulster this deserved win.
The Matt Williams era is well and truly underway at Ravenhill, with one banner in the crowd summing it nicely…’Matt preparation, Gloss finish.’
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