Scarlets were denied a first victory in Belfast in nine years as a late Ulster try snatched a 30-28 win for the Northern Irish province at the Kingspan Stadium.
This season has been a tale of ‘what might have beens’ for Dwayne Peel’s side and this was another match that will go down in the column ‘one that got away’.
Scarlets flew out of the blocks with a couple of early tries from Macs Page and Ioan Nicholas and led 15-13 at the break.
A breakaway opportunist score by replacement Vaea Fifita and the boot of Ioan Lloyd saw the Welsh side hold a 28-23 advantage going into the final minutes, but the Ulstermen found a way over the whitewash in the closing exchanges to take the spoils.
It was the perfect start for the Scarlets with the outstanding Page latching onto a clever kick from scrum-half Gareth Davies. The ball sat up perfectly on the new artificial surface and the 20-year-old was able to race unopposed to the posts for his fifth try in the competition this season. Lloyd landed the conversion.
It got better quickly.
A sweeping backline move from 70 metres out saw the lightning Page sweep around Ireland international Jacob Stockdale before feeding Nicholas on a free run to the line.
A stunned Ulster crowd had little to cheer until back-rower Nick Timoney crossed from a line-out rumble on 22 minutes, then fly-half Jack Murphy added two penalties – one from halfway – to nudge the home side ahead just before the break. However, Scarlets had the final word of the half through a sweet Lloyd strike to give them a deserved advantage at the interval.
The see-sawing nature of the contest continued in the second period with Ulster enjoying more of the possession and territory.
Murphy and Lloyd swapped penalties, before Ulster claimed their second score – a close-range effort from prop Callum Reid, converted by Murphy.
With Ulster growing in confidence, the pendulum swung again, this time towards the Scarlets.
It was the home side who were pressing inside the Scarlets half, but a loose pass found the hands of Alec Hepburn, who shipped the ball onto Fifita 50 metres out and the Tongan international – on for the injured Max Douglas – enjoyed the freedom of Belfast before touching down at the posts. Lloyd’s conversion took the score out to 25-23
In the final quarter, pressure on the home line almost led to a fourth Scarlets score, but Ulster’s defence held firm and the West Walians had to be content with another Lloyd three-pointer.
Then came the late drama.
After conceding a string of penalties, Scarlets found themselves camped on their own line and eventually it was veteran lock Alan O’Connor who found a way through, with Nathan Doak’s conversion edging Ulster ahead with just over a minute remaining.
All that was left was for Ulster to claim the restart and see out the clock and it was more heartbreak for the Scarlets in this United Rugby Championship season.
Ulster tries – N. Timoney, C. Reid, A. O’Connor. Cons: J. Murphy (2), N. Doak. Pens: Murphy (3).
Scarlets – tries: M. Page, I. Nicholas, V. Fifita. Cons: I. Lloyd (2). Pens: Lloyd (3).