Humphreys puts Ulster on the right track

Ebbw Vale 0 Ulster 19

Fourteen points from the boot of Irish fly-half David Humphreys and a try by full-back Paddy Wallace right on the stroke of half-time sealed the win against the tough-tackling Welsh outfit.

The match was an error-strewn affair in heavy conditions and a fairly nondescript first-half ended with Ulster 6-0 ahead after Humphreys had landed two penalties.

Despite a difficult summer when they nearly went to the wall with financial shortfalls, Ebbw Vale, under Wales A coach Mike Ruddock, made a bright start as their pack took the initiative.

Former Connaught scrum-half Bryan Shelbourne sliced an early penalty attempt wide for Vale, but it was pretty much one-way traffic from Ulster after that.

Time and again Humphreys pinned Ebbw Vale back into their own half and he converted his two penalties with ease mid-way throughout the opening period.

The first penalty was awarded after Ebbw’s number eight Will Thomas was judged to have fouled Sheldon Coulter as he pounced on a loose ball and was sin-binned.

Stout defence by Vale kept out the Irish and they even created an attack of their own as fly-half Scott Mitchell’s chip just eluded the grasp of Nick Wakely.

Humphreys added a third penalty for Ulster just after the break but the Irish were deprived of the services of their flanker Warren Broshiman after 65 minutes when he was judged to have killed the ball following an excellent break from Vale full-back Richard Davies.

Humphreys then extended the Irish lead to 12-0 and with time running out he made a break down the left touchline before the ball was worked back into the midfield for centre Jonathan Bell to put full-back Paddy Wallace in under the posts.

Humphreys added the conversion for a 19-0 score-line which Ulster fully deserved.