Edinburgh end Ulster streak

Edinburgh ended Ulster's unbeaten record in the Magners League with a 21-16 victory at rain-soaked Murrayfield.

The Irish visitors had led 10-8 at the break thanks to a try from centre Ian Whitten and five points from the boot of Paddy Wallace. Fraser McKenzie went over for the hosts, with Chris Paterson adding a penalty.

Ulster added two more penalties after the interval, but Netani Talei's converted try, a second penalty from Paterson and a late drop-goal from David Blair secured victory for Edinburgh.

After a scrappy opening, Edinburgh went ahead with 10 minutes on the clock, Greig Laidlaw linking with Alan MacDonald to put lock McKenzie over. Paterson missed the conversion.

With conditions worsening, Ulster full-back Adam D'Arcy was denied by a try-saving tackle from Laidlaw which kept the home line intact.

But that attack gave Ulster decent field position for the first time and they got on the board with a Wallace penalty on the quarter-hour mark, before Paterson restored the five-point margin with a 40-yard shot.

Ulster began to get on top up front as Robbie Diack thundered into the heart of the Edinburgh defence and, from the ruck, a lovely offload from lock Dan Tuohy sent Whitten scampering over for Wallace to convert.

Hit back

A Paddy Wallace penalty got Ulster quickly underway after only a couple of minutes of the second half but Edinburgh hit back as number eight Talei shredded the Ulster defence but held on a fraction too long with the line open for Tim Visser.

But the big Fijian finished what he had started and crashed over from close range, Paterson converting.

Edinburgh started to play a more tactical game but failed to take advantage of some fine kicks from Paterson and Blair which turned the Ulster back three.

On the hour mark, Andy Kyriacou offended and Paterson slotted his second penalty but Ian Humphreys pulled the margin back to two points with a monster kick from the halfway line, giving Ulster a real boost going into the final minutes.

That set up a tense finale, until Blair showed his cool and slotted a long-range drop-goal which clinched the points for Edinburgh.