Tovey the difference as Dragons slay Ulster

JASON TOVEY produced a virtuoso performance as the Dragons hit back to steal a crucial Magners League win over fellow basement strugglers Ulster at Rodney Parade.

The hosts were 16-8 behind at one stage but Tovey, via three tries and eight points with the boot, propelled the Welshmen to a 10-point victory which sees them leapfrog both Cardiff Blues and Ulster to seventh place.

It did not start or finish well for Ulster as prop Tom Court was sent to the sin-bin by referee Neil Paterson for tripping home scrum-half Wayne Evans after four minutes. The Dragons took full advantage of their extra man when centre Ashley Smith give Tovey a clear run to the line.

Ulster hit back quickly as fly-half Ian Humphreys banged over a penalty but the game disintegrated into a mistake-riddled mess for most of the remainder of the first half. The biggest error came when flanker Joe Bearman, the last line of home defence, failed to hold onto the ball from a kick into his 22 for Scotland wing Simon Danielli to waltz over.

The Dragons began the second half on the offensive and fly-half Shaun Connor landed a penalty to put the home side back to within two points.

Schifcofske fired over a penalty and, when the Dragons went offside in midfield soon after, the former rugby league back booted the Irishmen into an eight-point advantage.

But when Ulster captain Kieron Dawson was sent to the bin for illegal hands in a ruck, the Welshmen struck again, the impressive Tovey, now in Connor’s fly-half role, going over in the corner for the try that levelled the match. He popped over another penalty towards the end and then intercepted a pass in the Ulster 22 in the last minute to go under the posts, convert, and seal a superb solo display.

Newport-Gwent D’gons scorers: Tries: Tovey 3. Cons: Tovey. Pens: Connor, Tovey 2.

Ulster scorers: Tries: Danielli. Cons: Humphreys. Pens: Humphreys, Schifcofske 2. NEWPORT-GWENT D’GONS: Tovey, M. Thomas, Davies, Smith, Fussell, Connor, W. Evans, Black, Willis, R. Thomas, A. Jones, MacDonald, Bearman, Parks, L. Evans.

Replacements: Dolman for Davies (5), Morgan for Connor (51), A. Hall for A. Jones (65), Webb for L. Evans (51).

ULSTER: Schifcofske, Trimble, Cave, Steinmetz, Danielli, Humphreys, Boss, Court, Brady, Botha, O’Donoghue, Del Fava, Pollock, Dawson, Henry, McCullough.

Replacements: Whitten for Steinmetz (45), O’Connor for Humphreys (46), Willis for Boss (48), Young for Court (58), Philpott for Brady (53), McCullough for Henry (64), Caldwell for McCullough (69).

Referee: N Paterson (SRFU).