Ulster A got off to a winning start in the British and Irish Cup with a comprehensive victory over English Championship leaders, Bristol at Kingspan Stadium tonight.
Alex Codling’s side outscored the visitors by three tries to one.
Bristol started strongly and were rewarded with the game’s opening try on 9 minutes. They kicked a penalty to touch and from the resulting lineout they were able to maul over with flanker Max Crumpton barging over but out half Callum Sheedy couldn’t convert.
Sam Windsor got the home team’s first points after a sustained period of pressure in the Bristol 22, the Ulster forwards worked the ball through a number of phases before the visitors strayed offside allowing the Ulster out half to slot over a simple penalty.
Bristol continued to dominate the scrum and Ulster had prop Bronson Ross sin binned for the home side had conceded a number of penalties at the set piece.
Windsor gave Ulster the lead with his second penalty on 26 minutes after more strong carrying by the forwards.
Ulster went in the break with a 13-5 lead following a try from blindside flanker Clive Ross.
Captain Willie Faloon made a strong charge from a back of a lineout, Peter Browne carried the ball deeper into the Bristol 22, the ball was recycled quickly and Ruaidhri Murphy charged close to the line before Ross picked up and charged over with Windsor converting.
Ulster dominated the early stages of the second half and should have got a second try when Callum Patterson exposed a gap in the Bristol defence and carried into the 22 but had no support.
Windsor increased the lead with a third penalty on 53 minutes, Mulholland mad a big carry in midfield and when he was brought to ground Bristol were guilty of hands in the ruck.
Patterson got over for Ulster’s second try on 57 minutes.
Mark Best made a break down the wing, Browne carried close to the line before Patterson powered over a Windsor converted.
Best got the home side’s third try five minutes later.
Patterson stole the ball on the ground in midfield it was shifted to the wing and Rodger McBurney powered close to the line, Browne and Alan O’Connor made more hard yards before Best went over from close range and Windsor converted.
Bristol prop James Hall was sin binned for trying to kill the ball in the build up to the try.
Final score: Ulster A 30, Bristol 5.
Ulster A
J McPhillips; R McBurney, C Patterson, M Best, R Lyttle; S Windsor, P Rowley;
R Murphy, J Andrew, B Ross, A O'Connor, P Browne, C Ross, W Faloon, S Mulholland.
Replacements: J Murphy, M Lagan, J Simpson, A Thompson, C Joyce, L Free, A Magrath.
Bristol
L Arscott; G Watkins, T Benvenuti, Ben Mosses, C Amesbury; C Sheedy, C Hampson;
E Genge, C Brooker, J Ford-Robinson, T Ellis, M Sorenson, N Koster, M Crumpton, R Smid.
Replacements: J Stephenson, J Hall, G Townson, J Davies, A Uren, A Jarvis, G Maule.
Ref D Jones WRU
Alex Codling’s side outscored the visitors by three tries to one.
Bristol started strongly and were rewarded with the game’s opening try on 9 minutes. They kicked a penalty to touch and from the resulting lineout they were able to maul over with flanker Max Crumpton barging over but out half Callum Sheedy couldn’t convert.
Sam Windsor got the home team’s first points after a sustained period of pressure in the Bristol 22, the Ulster forwards worked the ball through a number of phases before the visitors strayed offside allowing the Ulster out half to slot over a simple penalty.
Bristol continued to dominate the scrum and Ulster had prop Bronson Ross sin binned for the home side had conceded a number of penalties at the set piece.
Windsor gave Ulster the lead with his second penalty on 26 minutes after more strong carrying by the forwards.
Ulster went in the break with a 13-5 lead following a try from blindside flanker Clive Ross.
Captain Willie Faloon made a strong charge from a back of a lineout, Peter Browne carried the ball deeper into the Bristol 22, the ball was recycled quickly and Ruaidhri Murphy charged close to the line before Ross picked up and charged over with Windsor converting.
Ulster dominated the early stages of the second half and should have got a second try when Callum Patterson exposed a gap in the Bristol defence and carried into the 22 but had no support.
Windsor increased the lead with a third penalty on 53 minutes, Mulholland mad a big carry in midfield and when he was brought to ground Bristol were guilty of hands in the ruck.
Patterson got over for Ulster’s second try on 57 minutes.
Mark Best made a break down the wing, Browne carried close to the line before Patterson powered over a Windsor converted.
Best got the home side’s third try five minutes later.
Patterson stole the ball on the ground in midfield it was shifted to the wing and Rodger McBurney powered close to the line, Browne and Alan O’Connor made more hard yards before Best went over from close range and Windsor converted.
Bristol prop James Hall was sin binned for trying to kill the ball in the build up to the try.
Final score: Ulster A 30, Bristol 5.
Ulster A
J McPhillips; R McBurney, C Patterson, M Best, R Lyttle; S Windsor, P Rowley;
R Murphy, J Andrew, B Ross, A O'Connor, P Browne, C Ross, W Faloon, S Mulholland.
Replacements: J Murphy, M Lagan, J Simpson, A Thompson, C Joyce, L Free, A Magrath.
Bristol
L Arscott; G Watkins, T Benvenuti, Ben Mosses, C Amesbury; C Sheedy, C Hampson;
E Genge, C Brooker, J Ford-Robinson, T Ellis, M Sorenson, N Koster, M Crumpton, R Smid.
Replacements: J Stephenson, J Hall, G Townson, J Davies, A Uren, A Jarvis, G Maule.
Ref D Jones WRU