Dan McFarland 'frustrated' after Ulster are sunk by second half Bath blitz

Ulster coach Dan McFarland was left “frustrated” after his side were the victims of a second-half blitz from Bath and their talisman Finn Russell, as they went down 37-14 in Pool two of the Investec Champions Cup at the Rec.

McFarland’s en took a surprise 14-8 lead into the sheds at half-time but failed to trouble the scoreboard in the second period, as Bath ran amok to secure a bonus-point victory.

The west country city has plenty to see come the festive period. A Christmas market, a makeshift outdoor ice-rink and the annual pantomime at the Theatre Royal.

However, all were upstaged on Saturday by the mercurial number 10 on show at the Rec.

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Russell was given time and space, time and time again to attack the Ulster defensive line, or pick a wizardry pass from his repertoire that Harry Potter himself would be proud of.

While flattering at times, Ulster were too often caught on the back foot, once again found wanting when threatened with an arm-wrestle against a more physical side, lead beautifully by the Scottish out-half.

McFarland was left to bemoan a lack of clinical deliverance from his side, who have now lost from a winning position three weeks in a row, as he spoke to BBC Sport NI.

“I think it’s the accuracy (that let the side down),” He said.

“We put ourselves in a good position, we put ourselves in a good position.

“We had lots of opportunities, I felt the effort, the physicality, the intensity and the urgency with which we played was good.

“But, if you make mistakes and give the opposition opportunities you are going to be in trouble and I think Bath were pretty clinical when they got their chances in the second half.”

After having their backs to the wall for most of the first half and conceding a Joe Cokanasiga try, Ulster hit back with two tries of their own in the six minutes before half-time courtesy of Billy Burns and Nathan Doak, to give the travelling support a real belief that they could replicate European days of old.

However, those optimistic enough to have those ambitions were soon brought down to earth, in a second-half litany of tries for the hosts.

Tom Dunn crossed shortly after the interval and from there Ulster were given a thorough hammering, with further tries courtesy of 125kg South-African Thomas Du Toit, a second for Cokanasiga and finally, a score for full-back Matt Gallagher that hammered the final nail into the Ulster coffin.

The visitors will rue lost opportunities when they had fleeting periods on top in the opening half.

First, Stewart Moore and then Nick Timoney both had chances to send wingers Rob Baloucoune and then Jacob Stockdale clear down each flanks, but their passes were poorly executed.

However, the main area of concern for McFarland will be the indiscipline of his side as Bath tightened the screw.

Eleven penalties conceded allowed the hosts easy access into the Ulster 22, with Matty Rea’s sin-binning with 15 minutes remaining seemingly opening the floodgates.

“It is a concern (conceding of penalties)” McFarland said.

“That is a result of putting ourselves under pressure and not holding onto the ball.

“It’s something we are focussing on as it has been an issue this season. If we don’t resolve it then things won’t get better.”

Things certainly will not get easier for the Ulstermen.  Next up they have a home tie against French heavyweights Racing 92 this Saturday, who should bring South Africa's  World Cup winning captain Siya Kolisi into their ranks.

An improved scrum is a must and it must be a worry that Marty Moore could not shore up events when he came on for Tom O’Toole. Win or lose, Saturday’s game could be a defining point for Ulster and McFarland's season.