Two tries in the final 15 minutes saw Ulster pull away from Scarlets in a keenly-contested URC round 11 clash at Belfast’s Kingspan Stadium.

Like the previous week, the Scarlets were well in the game going into the final exchanges thanks to Kemsley Mathias’s powerful score.

But the West Walians allowed Ulster the opportunity to hit straight back and the Irish province needed no second invitation to secure a 27-15 bonus-point win.

Overall, it was a gritty effort from the Scarlets, particularly in defence, but a couple of opportunities were missed at crucial moments. The failure to deal with restarts in blustery conditions also cost them dear.

Scarlets went into the match with 17 of their match-day squad having come through the development pathway. They also had a new skipper in hooker Daf Hughes, who was at the forefront of an abrasive first-half performance.

It was the hosts who were first out of the blocks through a penalty from scrum-half Nathan Doak after just two minutes, but a break by Steff Hughes allowed fly-half Dan Jones to level matters six minutes later.

With both sides struggling to break down strong defences, the match was proving a cagey affair.

The big talking point arrived in the 27th minute when wing Craig Gilroy put in a high challenge on opposite number Tom Rogers after he had freed Ryan Conbeer out wide. The television match official and South African referee Jaco Peyper decided yellow card was the punishment and the Ireland international was dispatched to the sin bin.

The Scarlets took immediate advantage of the extra man, though, and after good work by Ioan Nicholas down the touchline, prop Samson Lee powered over around the side of the ruck.

Dan Jones landed a superb touchline conversion, but Scarlets failed to deal with the restart and it led to a period of home pressure that resulted in Ulster levelling the scores through a try from centre Angus Curtis, converted by Doak.

Jones had an opportunity to give the Scarlets the lead just before half-time, but the fly-half pushed his long-range penalty attempt wide.

Scarlets could and should have grabbed the advantage soon after the restart but could finish off a superb break by centre Tyler Morgan.

Instead it was Ulster who snatched the advantage back with second row Sam Carter driving over on 53 minutes.

The Scarlets' response was swift.

Steff Evans pounced on a chip ahead to touch down, but the score was ruled out for offside, then the officials adjudged that Sione Kalamafoni was held up over the line.

The pressure did eventually pay though with replacement prop Kemsley Mathias stretching over for his first Scarlets try on 63 minutes.

A missed conversion meant the scores were level going into the final quarter of an hour, but it was Ulster who reclaimed the advantage with tries for replacement Gareth Milasinovich and Gilroy which sealed a bonus-point victory for the hosts.