Pro14: Ulster 23-22 Benetton

A 78th-minute try by Andrew Trimble saw Ulster come from behind to snatch a dramatic 23-22 win over an impressive Benetton side at Kingspan Stadium.

A Tommy Bowe try helped Ulster to a 13-9 half-time lead but a converted Robert Barbieri score put the visitors 19-13 ahead 15 minutes into the second half.

Trailing 26-22, Trimble barged over and Christian Lealiifano added the extras to give relieved Ulster a vital win.

Ulster drop to third in Conference B on 32 points, with Leinster in second.

The Scarlets are two points ahead of both Irish provinces but can move further clear if they beat the Southern Kings on Saturday.

Ulster managed to grind out a win they scarcely deserved, the outcome harsh on the side from Treviso who were well organised, defended well and looked comfortable with ball in hand throughout.

A second defeat in 22 encounters with Benetton looked to be on the cards until replacement wing Trimble crossed after good work by Paul Marshall, who became just the fifth Ulster player to accumulate 200 appearances when he was introduced off the bench.

A losing bonus point will be scant consolation for the Italians, who have shown improvement this season in winning three of their opening nine games in the competition to lie fifth in Conference B.

Both teams under-strength in Belfast

Ulster flanker Clive Ross faces Giorgio Bronzini and Ignacio Brex

Both sides were without a host of regulars because of injuries and players on international duty, with 19-year-old Aaron Hall making his Ulster debut at flanker and Matthew Dalton replacing him for his first appearance in the closing minutes. Greg Jones also made his debut off the bench.

Ulster's victory follows another narrow escape in beating Southern Kings on the road three weeks ago and prior to that a disappointing performance in a home reverse by Leinster.

The Irish province lost away to Zebre earlier in the season but narrowly avoided suffering defeats in successive matches against Italian sides for the first time.

Kick-off in Belfast was delayed by 10 minutes after Benetton's bus was involved in a minor road traffic collision on their way to collect the Italian outfit but the disruption appeared to have little effect as two Tommaso Allan penalties put them into a deserved 6-0 lead.

The hosts responded in the 17th minute when John Cooney picked up the ball from a maul and passed to Bowe on the blindside, the winger running over for in the right corner the opening try of the game, with Cooney converting.

Two penalties by the former Connacht number nine extended his side's advantage, the second being successfully knocked between the uprights after wing Andrea Bronzini had been yellow-carded for tackling Louis Ludik while he did not have the ball.

Allan penalties either side of half-time reduced Benetton's deficit, before number eight Barbieri ran in to touch down after Ulster replacement prop Schalk van der Merwe, making his debut after recovering from shoulder surgery, failed to execute a pass.

After Lealiifano landed a penalty, Allan's two-pointer and a Martin Banks kick gave Kieran Crowley's side a deserved six-point lead - but Trimble's late intervention salvaged the victory.

Ulster: Piutau; Bowe, Ludik, Lealiifano, Gilroy; Nelson, Cooney; Black, Andrew, Kane; Treadwell, O'Connor; Ross, Hall, Timoney.

Replacements: Herring, van der Merwe, Warwick, Dalton, Jones, P Marshall, Cave, Trimble.

Benetton: Sperandio; Benvenuti, Brex, Sgarbi, A Bronzini; Allan, G Bronzini; Traore, Baravalle, Di Stefano; Zanni, Herbst; Douglas, Manu, Barbieri.

Replacements: Faiva, Quaglio, De Marchi, Ruzza, Barbini, Crosato, Banks, Morisi.