Ulster stage second-half comeback

Ulster 30 Llanelli 13

Ulster stayed in the Celtic League top four with a well deserved win over the Scarlets after a gripping second-half display tonight.

They had to come back from being 13-3 down in the first 40 minutes to snatch this Celtic League victory.

Centre Paul Steinmetz led the way for the home side, who registered their eighth win of the campaign, thanks to 20 points from the Kiwi’s boot from six penalties and conversion.

The Scarlets, who failed to score a point in the second half, did not help their cause with an ill-disciplined display which saw Dafydd Jones sent off for stamping and Martyn Madden and Inoke Afeaki sent to the bin in the first half.

However, even when they were down to 13 men the visitors managed to not only keep their line intact but also scored the opening try of the game from captain Dafydd James.

That was as good as it got for Llanelli and Ulster took complete control in the second half after an Andy Maxwell try in injury time saw the home side trail Llanelli 13-10 at the break.

After Barry Davies, with a monster 56-metre effort, and Adam Larkin had swapped penalties in the first fairly dismal 20 minutes the game came alive after second row Inoke Afeaki was sin binned after 23 minutes for handling the ball on the ground.

However, further adversity hit the visitors when prop Martyn Madden joined Afeaki in the bin three minutes before the half hour.

Ulster tried to turn the screw but Llanelli showed great composure and control with only 13 men on the field.

James burst through some weak Ulster tackling to grab an unlikely try after 33 minutes which Gareth Bowen converted.

The visitors’ lead was then stretched to 13-3 with another Davies strike after 38 minutes, by which time the Welshmen were restored to full strength.

Ulster then reduced Llanelli’s lead at the break to 13-10 through an injury-time try from a 35m Andy Maxwell run-in after an Isaac Boss break.

The scores were then levelled after four minutes of the second half from Steinmetz’s second penalty and the same player was again the provider with another penalty, six minutes later, to give Ulster the lead for the first time.

Steinmetz stretched Ulster’s lead to 19-13 after 57 minutes but was wide for the first time eight minutes later after Llanelli were permanently reduced to 14 men when Jones was sent off for a stamp on Matt McCullough.

The centre made up for his uncharacteristic error with a fifth penalty after 70 minutes before substitute outside-half Mike Hercus was well wide with a penalty which would have got Llanelli back within bonus point territory.

All that remained was a sixth penalty from Steinmetz and an unconverted try from substitute Tyrone Howe, who came on to win his 99th cap.