» Last-gasp try seals win over Ulster,
Barton scores winning try in thriller
AFTER a week of almighty media storms following the shock immediate departure of Danny Cipriani off the back of a record European defeat, Gloucester Rugby responded with an epic faith restoring 38-34 comeback win over Ulster on Saturday.
Ironically it was the Cherry and Whites’ much talked up young fly-half replacement George Barton who touched down for the game winning try five minutes into added time to keep the club’s hopes of progressing to the quarter-finals of the European Champions Cup alive.
Having spectators back in grounds has certainly brought an edge back to games and 2,000 Gloucester fans present at Kingsholm were presented with an early Christmas gift of a top-quality game.
Gloucester played to please those who worship at the church of Kingsholm and they were rewarded with five tries and a bonus point victory.
Ulster certainly proved to be stern opposition, scoring four tries of their own, and they will have thought the game was won when John Cooney raced down the far wing to out his side 34-23 up with 10 minutes remaining - but they did not count on almighty resurrection.
The game wasn’t without incident with the Television Match Official (TMO) called upon on numerous occasions as well as the awarding of three penalty tries and four yellow cards.
Wearing their new European kit, Gloucester opened the scoring inside ten minutes when Louis Rees-zammit finished excellently in the corner on his return from Welsh international duty after strong carries from Chris Harris and Kyle Moyle gave the hosts strong attacking position before a looping pass from Mark Atkinson released the rapid winger.
But the lead lasted less than five minutes, with Ulster responding with a try of their own with former Gloucester man Billy Burns picking a gap in a slack defensive line to run-in under the posts.
A Lloyd Evans penalty put Gloucester
back in front, and the lead was extended due to a penalty try after successive driving mauls were illegally pulled down, both earning Ulster a yellow card with Rob Herring and Alan O’connor being sent to the sin bin for ten minutes.
But while down to 13 men Ulster controlled the tempo of the game to suit their lack of numbers and they narrowed the gap via a John Cooney penalty.
And as O’connor and Herring returned to the pitch, Cooney lined-up another penalty attempt, but as he began his kicking motion the ball fell off its tee and Gloucester were awarded a scrum.
The visitors, who had been the better side since the sin binning pushed Gloucester’s defensive line as the clock ticked into the red, but George Skivington’s side held out and the score remained 17-10 at the break.
Gloucester started the second-half with a bang, with Mark Atkinson crossing from the back of a dominant driving maul for his side’s third of the game.
However, like in the opening period, Ulster responded with another try of their own with Michael Lowry speeding away from the Gloucester defence after an impressive offload from Cooney.
After the relatively stoppage free opening half, the opening twenty minutes of the second was littered with TMO checks.
It was from a TMO check that Ulster were given a penalty try when ReesZammit was judged to have prevented Ulster scoring with a deliberate knockon and with the penalty try came a yellow card for Gloucester’s winger.
With the scores level, Ulster looked the better of the two sides and they capitalised on their man advantage and took the lead for the first time in the game.
First, the impressive Cooney kicked his second penalty of the game before adding a deserved try after he raced around the Gloucester tacklers and down the left wing to score in the corner after Jacob Stockdale’s high ball take was judged to have gone backwards by the TMO, much to the frustration of the Kingsholm faithful.
And as the game full of incident entered the final minutes, TMO Rowan Kitt was called to action once again.
This time Kitt’s decision was in Gloucester’s favour as the home side awarded a second penalty try due to a deliberate knock-on, with Ulster replacement Ethan Mcilroy sent to the sin bin, his side’s third yellow card of the game.
With the visitors a man down for the final minutes, Skivington’s side pushed for a winner.
Rees-zammit had bursts towards the line but was prevented twice and Ulster’s defence held strong to prevent Gloucester’s forward pack.
However, the defence couldn’t stop young fly-half Barton who crossed to give Gloucester a momentous victory.