We wanted two wins and are gutted not to get them: McFarland

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In a breathtaking, fast-paced to-and-fro game, Ulster found themselves ahead in the last 10 minutes before having to recover from Maxwane and Fouche’s late double salvo.

McFarland, understandably, was left with conflicting emotions after the game.

“In the first half we didn’t play the territory game perfectly and missed a couple of tackles, and we ended up in our half defending for too long,” the head coach admitted.

“But overall, with the five-day turnaround, the injuries we suffered in the lead up to the game and in the first quarter of the game, and only having a limited number of forwards to cover for us, I was very impressed.

“To fight back in that second half and take three points away from the match... it wasn’t satisfying, but I will say well done to the lads.”

McFarland was also critical of his side’s discipline, particularly at the set piece where, for the second week in a row, they lost a man to the sin bin for repeated offences.

“The focus for us is being disciplined in what we do and making sure we don’t have to defend multiple mauls (a man down),” he said.

Despite Ulster maintaining their unbeaten record in the Guinness PRO14, and extending their lead in Conference B to four points, McFarland admitted he wasn’t happy with the seven point return from their tour.

Asked if he would have taken seven points before going, McFarland replied: “I don’t think I would have done. I’d have taken two wins, but seven points? No.

“We came here with the objective of getting two wins but we didn’t get it, so we’re disappointed.” CHEETAHS: M Jaer; W Small-Smith, B Janse van Rensburg, N Lee, R Maxwane; T Schoeman (L Fouche 72), T Meyer (S Venter 60); O Nche (C Marais 71), J Dweba (J du Toit 60), A Coetzee; W Steenkamp (J Basson 60), JP du Preez; G Olivier, J Pokomela, N Jordaan (S Malan 71).

Subs not used: G Janse van Vuuren, R Eksteen.

ULSTER: P Nelson; H Speight, D Cave (A Curtis 69), S McCloskey, A Kernohan; B Burns, D Shanahan (J Stewart 60); E O’Sullivan (A Warwick 61), R Herring, W Herbst (T O’Toole 12); A O’Connor, K Treadwell (J Andrew 62); Mat Rea, S Reidy (N Timoney 25), M Coetzee (J Deysel 52).

Sub not used: J McPhillips.

Man of the Match: Maxwane (Cheetahs) Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)

WELL, you can’t say Ulster aren’t exciting to watch at least.

Even when they look down and out, you can never count out Dan McFarland’s squad, whose plucky never-say-die attitude had rescued six points for them in their opening two games.

Last night at Toyota Stadium, it saved them another, Henry Speight’s last play try and Billy Burns’ nerveless conversion saving a 39-39 draw and preserving the unbeaten record.

The defence needs work, five tries conceded is not a nice stat to reflect on, but the attack that has promised so much finally clicked, crossing the whitewash the same number of times in response to make it a three-point haul from the Free State.

It also lends itself to a much happier trip back to Belfast for the squad, who return home with seven points from their South African stay and four points clear at the top of Conference B in the Guinness PRO14.

But this is a game that won’t be forgotten for a long time.

If losing Craig Gilroy in captain’s run, and then Will Addison in the warm-up only half an hour before kick-off, was bad enough, then Ulster’s start had McFarland’s head in his hands. With only 100 seconds on the clock, the hosts already had a seven-pointer on the board.

First phase off a lineout, Nico Lee picked a line through a massive hole in the Ulster defence between Rob Herring and Marcell Coetzee, and flanker Gerhard Olivier ran the supporting line to take it the rest of the way.

With alarm bells ringing, and the worry that the rapid South Africans could cut loose at will, David Shanahan’s reply only a minute later calmed any nerves.

It was Darren Cave, the late inclusion after Gilroy’s withdrawal, who found the gap in the midfield to scythe through and Shanahan was perfectly placed to go under the posts.

Burns converted, his first points in an Ulster jersey, but there was to be another blow for the injury-ravaged Ulstermen as prop Wiehahn Herbst was forced off after just 12 minutes.

Not helped by the repeated changes, the visitors continued to look defensively ropey, and they were given a reprieve when lock JP du Preez bashed his way up to the five-metre line but lost the ball forward when a try looked certain.

The reprieve lasted only a few more minutes as Tian Schoeman struck over a 19th minute penalty to put the Cheetahs back in front.

But completely against the run of play, Ulster forged ahead again with their second try, an almost carbon copy of their first as Stuart McCloskey rode a tackle to set Cave through, and his inside pass again sent Shanahan under the sticks.

After spurning so many oppor- tunities a week previous, Ulster’s record now read two entries into the 22 and two tries. However, the second score was marred somewhat by another withdrawal, this time Sean Reidy helped off.

And it was one of the prematch changes, Peter Nelson, who had to rescue the Ulstermen when the Cheetahs again found a gap, scrum-half Tian Meyer chipping through but Nelson was able to recover to beat him to the ball in the in-goal area.

But Nelson’s try saving antics