Five points on the road as Edinburgh hold off Ulster in Belfast

Four tries and a 14-point debut from James Grayson built a 34-5 lead, and Sean Everitt’s side then held firm through a fierce late Ulster surge.

With four debutants in the starting XV and 17 players unavailable, Sean Everitt’s new-look side produced a first-half display that justified a summer of change.

Tries from Freddy Douglas, Malelili Satala, Hector Patterson and Piers O’Conor, all converted by debutant stand-off James Grayson, carried them into a 34-5 lead inside 48 minutes.

Ulster hit back with 24 unanswered points in the final half-hour, but Edinburgh stood firm in a tense finish to close out their first competitive win of the season and gain a measure of revenge for March’s 40-19 home defeat.

Edinburgh took charge from the kick-off, holding the ball through the opening phases and forcing an early offside penalty.

Grayson’s shot at goal on four minutes cannoned back off the upright, and although Kienan Higgins gathered the rebound, Ulster scrambled clear.

The visitors kept the hosts pinned in their own half. Grayson’s kicking game asked early questions, Michael Lowry had a clearance charged down, and Satala put in a shuddering hit chasing a Patterson box kick to force the ball loose.

The breakthrough came on 20 minutes. A probing kick forced a five-metre Ulster lineout, and when James McCormick went long over the back, Harri Morris read it and claimed the ball.

The Edinburgh pack drove at the line before Douglas burrowed over from close range under the posts. Grayson converted.

Grayson added a penalty three minutes later after Ulster failed to roll away. The hosts responded on 25 minutes when quick hands through Robert Baloucoune, Jack Murphy and Jamie Benson sent captain Lowry clear on the right. Murphy missed the conversion from wide out.

Douglas then took over at the breakdown. He won a jackal penalty straight from the restart, which Grayson slotted for 13-5, and another in his own 22 two minutes later to relieve pressure.

Edinburgh kept Ulster under the cosh through a breathless spell of attack, and their persistence paid off in the 39th minute.

From a scrum, the ball went left and Grayson kicked through. It deflected off James McNabney’s attempted block into the hands of Liam McConnell, who drew Lowry and offloaded for Satala to dive over. Grayson’s conversion made it 20-5.

Ulster threatened late in the half through a Ben Carson break, but Edinburgh defended their line, won the lineout five metres out and Grayson kicked dead to end the half.

Edinburgh put the game beyond doubt early in the second half. On 43 minutes they ran the ball from deep, Magnus Bradbury and Satala combined, and Satala stepped infield before sending Patterson under the posts.

Ulster thought they had a reply when a kind bounce found David McCann, but he had been forced into touch.

Three minutes later Edinburgh had the bonus point. Grayson made an initial half-break, feeding Patterson who burst through a gap into the 22. The nine spun out of a tackle and fed O’Conor to run in under the posts. Grayson’s fourth conversion made it 34-5.

Ulster’s response was ferocious. Replacement Zac Ward scored in the corner just before the hour after Henry Walker was held short, and Murphy converted from the touchline.

McCann finished a slick move just after the hour, again converted from the touchline, and debutant prop Keynan Knox barged over for the hosts’ bonus-point try on 65 minutes. Suddenly it was 26-34

Edinburgh were also stretched physically. Geordie Gwynn and Kienan Higgins both took knocks around the hour, with Rory McHaffie replacing Gwynn, while fresh legs arrived across the pack.

With seven minutes left, O’Conor was penalised for a high tackle on Ward and Murphy kicked the penalty to cut the gap to five.

Ulster pressed for a winning try, but a mixture of their own inaccuracy and resolute Edinburgh defence kept them out.

Conor McAlpine cleared after a loose moment in the Ulster half, and in the final minute replacement hooker Jerry Blyth-Lafferty stole possession before Euan McVie won the penalty that sealed the result.