Ulster 23 - 14 Cardiff Blues
HT 17-0
Fri 25 October 19:35 Kingspan Stadium Ref: Mike Adamson Guinness PRO14
79

A familiar break from Evans. Still in possession and have advantage. We come back for the penalty. Posts called to salvage a losing bonus-point if successful

78

2 minutes left and we are on the attack...

74

Plenty of phases but no real inroads and Millard drills a neat grubber into the corner

71

Duane Goodfield will be please, another great scrum leads to a penalty

68

Ulster set up the drive but it's defended very well and it's now a Cardiff Blues scrum

67

That's a tough one, referee gets in the way of Lewis Jones' pass, he becomes isolated and Ulster win a penalty. Ulster go to the corner

65

Scrum has been a positive all game and it's a huge effort to earn a penalty. We're on the Ulster 22

63

Penalty Goal (Opp.)

Cooney converts the penalty and it's now 23-14

62

Ulster points to the posts and can make it 23-14

60

Now it is Ulster on the attack and they are deep in our 22. An important defensive period but Ulster now have the advantage

57

He takes the ball and is held agonisingly short but the ball is spread to Boyde who bags the score. Evans converts and it is 20-14

57

Robinson turns over Ulster's counter, Halaholo puts Smith through on the left and grubbers ahead for Harries. He does well not to dive on Cooney, who loses the ball...

53

Thornton wins the ball again and we hurtle towards the corner but it's out of control. A couple of phases later Evans chips over the top but Ludik wins the ball ahead of Summerhill. We should have had a penalty there for another slap from the Ulster hooker

51

A good attacking position as we kick to the corner, we edge forward and then go wide. Matthew Morgan takes a huge man and ball hit in midfield and losses possession but we were playing with the advantage. 20-7

45

Penalty Goal (Opp.)

Penalty right from the restart and Cooney maintains his 100 per cent record. 20-7

43

Conversion

Evans with the extras 17-7

43

They are looking at the Morgan offload, it looks worse on replays due to Thornton at full pace and Morgan hit backwards but Adamson intervenes and says he was in line and happy with it. Try awarded!

41

A lively start to the second half from Cardiff Blues, much more zip and we are going through the phases. Morgan puts Thornton through how and he offloads....play continues

40

The second half is underway and we have a 17-0 deficit to overturn

40

Halaholo almost charges over and we go through multiple phases before the ball is lost

39

Thornton wins the ball and we creep towards the whitewash, the ball has to come out... Evans jinks past one but is held and it's another penalty. Marshall is binned for deliberately falling on the wrong side and failing to roll. We opt for a scrum

38

It's another penalty. We are throwing everything at Ulster here. Would be massive to grab a try before HT

37

We're driving towards the line and have advantage. A chip through comes to nothing and it's back for the penalty. Three minutes of the half left.

35

A lovely tip on from Williams puts Will Boyde through the hole. He kicks ahead for Lloyd Williams. The cover defence gets across but loses the ball but it falls to Reidy who saves the day

33

A penalty is kicked to touch and we are attacking the Ulster 22

31

Our best period of attacking phase play however again a handling error and possession is lost. 17-0

29

We attack from first phase but Halaholo uncharacteristically knocks on with Williams on his shoulder

28

Summerhill looks to put Evans on the outside, the Ulster hooker slaps the ball and it's a penalty. Perhaps should have been a yellow card but he gets away with it

27

A long, risky pass from Evans releases Nipper, he dazzles down the wing and kicks ahead but the ball trickles into touch

24

Outrageous cross kick from Burns to Gilroy, Morgan does remarkably well to hold onto the wing, who offloads but now it is Ulster that knock on

23

A lovely break as Halaholo finds Evans out the back and his delayed pass puts Summerhill through a hole however the ball is lost on the floor and the opportunity is lost.

21

Conversion (Opp.)

Cooney converts and it's 17-0 to the hosts

19

Try (Opp.)

Ulster going through the phases and Billy Burns ghosts through midfield to score under the posts

18

A lovely offload puts Gilroy on the edge but it comes to nothing. Two phases later they have a penalty and kick deep inside the 22. (10-0)

15

Thornton fails to hold onto the lineout and Ulster clear

15

Ulster turnover possession so it's back to the penalty and to the corner we go

14

Thornton wins the ball at the front and we're edging forward with the luxury of advantage.

13

The ball is won at the front by Turnbull and strong carries from Belcher, Robinson and Williams follow but no inroads made. Morgan threads a delightful kick through and Ulster concede the lineout

11

A strong scrum from the Blues and although the ball squirts out they are awarded a penalty, which is kicked to the 22. First decent territory.

8

Penalty Goal (Opp.)

Cooney splits the sticks and it is now 10-0

6

A bust from Ulster but Cardiff Blues hang on however Adamson penalises Turnbull for straying offside

5

All Ulster so far but some good defensive pressure from Cardiff Blues

3

Conversion (Opp.)

Cooney adds the extras and it is 7-0 to the hosts

2

Try (Opp.)

Try for the hosts, Reidy charges down Jarrod Evans, he manages to regather and offloads to Luke Marshall.

1

We're underway!

0

Full Time

Evans is unsuccessful and we leave Belfast empty-handed 23-14

0

Teams out and Billy Burns will get us under way, just waiting from the go ahead from referee Mike Adamson

0

Not long until kick-off here at the Kingspan Stadium. Don't forget you can follow all the action on our live blog https://www.cardiffblues.com/ulster-cardiff-blues-251019/live