Dragons go top after superb comeback

THE DRAGONS shot to the top of the Celtic League table after a tremendous comeback when all seemed lost.

Gwent Dragons 27 Ulster 19

With just 16 minutes left they trailed 19-12 against Ulster who went in to the match as leaders. But suddenly the Dragons breathed fire and rocked the Ulster men with a frenetic all-out finish.

Replacement Lee Jarvis shot over in the corner for a try and then Wales lock Michael Owen stormed away from a quickly-taken tap penalty for Hal Luscombe to nail another try.

With South African star Percy Montgomery booting a penalty and conversion to add to four earlier penalties the Dragons roared to the top of the table leaving Ulster shell-shocked.

It was Ulster who had looked all- over winners mainly through the brilliant play of Ireland outside-half David Humphreys.

He dictated the course of the game, landing four penalties and a conversion as well as impressing with his overall play.

Number 8 Roger Wilson scored a first-half try for Ulster and the Dragons looked in big trouble.

But then came that stirring fight back to rocket them to the top of the table for the first time.

DRAGONS: S Tuipulotu; N Brew, P Montgomery, A Marinos (capt), H Luscombe; C Warlow, G Baber; A Black, S Jones, R Thomas, M Owen, P Sidoli, R Beattie, J Forster, S Van Rensburg.

ULSTER: B Cunningham; J Topping, S Stewart, P Steinmetz, S Young; D Humphreys, K Campbell; R Kempson, P Shields, S Best, G Longwell, M McCullough, N Best, N McMillan (capt), R Wilson.

Referee: Iain Ramage (Scotland).