Clever Boss keeps Ulster's last-eight chances alive

Round-Up

Ulster maintained their hopes of qualification for the Heineken Cup quarter-finals with a vital 21-13 victory in the Pool Four meeting with Edinburgh at Ravenhill last night.

Issac Boss and Darren Cave scored tries and Ian Humphreys kicked eight points, with Niall O'Connor adding a penalty. Edinburgh replied with a Jim Thompson try and eight points from the boot of Chris Paterson.

Pool leaders Stade Français host already-eliminated Bath today and remain favourites to progress, while Ulster must beat Bath in their final group contest next week and hope for the French side to slip up against Edinburgh.

The lively Boss was the pick of the bunch for Ulster, setting up the first try of the game for Cave, though Edinburgh led 6-5 at half-time. Boss then added a second, collecting Andrew Trimble's pass from a scrum to dash in under the posts. The visitors rallied but a Humphreys penalty after Scott Newlands was judged to have infringed saw Ulster home.

In the Pool Two encounter at Firhill, Glasgow Warriors beat Newport-Gwent Dragons 29-25, with Ruaridh Jackson scoring 11 of Glasgow's points. With little at stake, the Warriors dominated the first 20 minutes but Newport clawed their way back to close the deficit to 24-19 at half-time.

Penalties from Shaun Connor and James Arlidge then edged the Dragons in front but Fergus Thompson crossed the line after 63 minutes to clinch victory for Glasgow.

Newcastle Falcons have one foot in the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals after they rallied from behind for a 16-14 win at Albi. Fly-half Jimmy Gopperth completed the Falcons' impressive second-half comeback by converting Josh Afu's try seven minutes from time to snatch a crucial away victory at Stade Municipal.