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Woeful indiscipline sees struggling Ulster beaten at Benetton

By PA
Woeful indiscipline sees struggling Ulster beaten at Benetton
Alan O'Connor's dejection last month versus Zebre continued with Ulster's loss at Benetton on Saturday (Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Ulster were punished for woeful indiscipline during the second half as they suffered a 34-19 United Rugby Championship defeat against Benetton at Stadio di Monigo.

The visitors had three players – David McCann, Nick Timoney and Stewart Moore – yellow-carded in a damaging 20-minute spell, while they also saw a try disallowed following foul play by prop Tom O’Toole.

Benetton fought back from a 19-10 deficit to score 24 unanswered points, and Ulster could have few complaints about the outcome.

Scrum-half Nathan Doak gave them a flying start through a third-minute try that he also converted, and Mike Lowry then claimed an interception score – again converted by Doak – after former Bath back Matt Gallagher touched down for Benetton.

Tomas Albornoz converted and kicked a penalty before Jacob Stockdale pounced for Ulster’s third try, but Benetton responded just before the interval when Ignacio Mendy crossed and Albornoz again converted.

Ulster then lost their way through a flurry of sin-binnings either side of an Albornoz penalty, and Benetton secured victory through replacement prop Mirco Spagnolo’s 65th-minute touch down before Alessandro Izekor added a bonus-point try and Albornoz slotted two more conversions.