Newcastle Falcons' first-half lead did not last the distance in Belfast in Friday's pre-season opener, as Ulster bounced back from 7-0 down to claim victory at Ravenhill.

A dominant first-half showing saw the Falcons 7-6 to the good on the back of a well-worked Brent Wilson try, but second-half touchdowns from Darren Cave and Dan Tuohy wiped out Newcastle’s advantage in a competitive and feisty encounter.

With the Falcons turning down seven kickable penalties in the Ulster 22 to work on set-piece plays, the hosts instead opted to take their shots at goal as Aussie fullback Clinton Schifcoske sent over a hat-trick of penalties.

Director of rugby Steve Bates insisted afterwards that he was satisfied by the efforts of his new-look squad, saying: “There were some very encouraging signs tonight, and we have plenty of positives to build on.

“Bringing together so many new players was always going to take some time, but I think we can be largely happy with how they went for the most part this evening, whilst having plenty to work on during training over the next couple of weeks.”

It was a dominant Newcastle side that started the game, as Kiwi fly half Jimmy Gopperth pulled the strings majestically at fly half, utilising the wet surface with a string of grubber kicks in behind the Ulster back three.

Samoan flanker Filipo Levi was among the new boys to impress with an industrious game at the coal face, hitting the fringes with a string of carries as well as standing his ground in defence.

James Hudson was a tower in the line out as the Falcons maintained a solid set piece throughout, while the pace of Tom Biggs out wide asked plenty of questions of the home defence.

It was all Newcastle in the opening half as the Falcons found themselves cheered on by a vocal away support, Danny Williams being hauled down just short of the try line from a deft Gopperth cross-field kick.

All-action lock Tim Swinson was held up over the line from a patient phase of sustained pick-and-go play, with centre Tane Tu’ipulotu making a clean line break moments later as the Falcons continued to flow.

Camped in the Ulster half for long periods, Biggs looked to open the scoring as Gopperth slotted through a dream grubber in to space, but with a rainy Ravenhill surface the bounce of the ball just eluded the Yorkshireman with the line in his sights.

There was not long to wait for a well-deserved try, however, and it was timely that Biggs should be the creator as the former Leeds wing drew the last man to send in Wilson for a textbook two-on-one score.

Gopperth converted impressively from the left touchline for a seven-point lead, but with Ulster making two rare forays in to Falcons territory, the men in white came away with points both times as Schifcoske’s boot sent over a brace of penalties to make the half-time score 7-6 in Newcastle’s favour.

A raft of second-half substitutions saw Gopperth make way for Rob Miller and a host of players stream on, a policy which was always going to affect continuity but provide valuable game time to a large chunk of the first team squad.

Eight minutes in to the half Ulster snatched the lead courtesy of a third Schifcoske penalty, with the Falcons still continuing their policy of turning down kickable shots at goal to instead cram in some vital set-piece work.

In the end, however, that pressure was turned against them as turnover ball on half way saw lock Dan Tuohy race down the left wing to score Ulster’s first try of the night, Schifcoske erring with the touchline conversion attempt.

Three more times in quick succession Newcastle declined easy penalties, with replacements Micky Young, Charlie Amesbury and Mark Sorenson among those to make their presence felt around the park.

But it was the home fans who left the happier with persistent play down the left seeing the ball flung wide to the other wing, as a shortage of numbers allowed Ireland centre Darren Cave to cross in the right corner for the final score of the night.

Whilst the scoreline may have suggested home superiority the new-look Falcons could take significant satisfaction from their first-half showing, with a bruising 80 minutes standing them in good stead for the coming campaign.

Ulster:

Tries: Tuohy, Cave
Pens: Schifcoske 3

Newcastle Falcons:

Tries: Wilson
Cons: Gopperth

Ulster: 15 Bryn Cunningham, 14 Clinton Schifcoske, 13 Darren Cave, 12 Ian Whitten, 11 Simon Danielli, 10 Ian Humphreys, 9 Isaac Boss (captain), 1 Bryan Young, 2 Andy Kyriacou, 3 BJ Botha, 4 Dan Tuohy, 5 Ryan Caldwell, 6 Chris Henry, 7 Willie Faloon, 8 Robbie Diack.

Replacements: Nigel Brady, Declan Fitzpatrick, Neil McComb, TJ Anderson, Paul Marshall, Niall O'Connor, Nevin Spence, Timoci Nagusa.

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Chris Micklewood, 14 Danny Williams (Charlie Amesbury, 51), 13 Gcobani Bobo (Rob Vickerman, 51), 12 Tane Tu’ipulotu, 11 Tom Biggs, 10 Jimmy Gopperth (Rob Miller, 40), 9 Hall Charlton (Micky Young, 61), 1 Jon Golding (Laurence Ovens, 61), 2 Rob Vickers (Joe Graham, 75), 3 Carl Hayman (captain, Micky Ward, 61)), 4 Tim Swinson (Mark Sorenson, 40), 5 James Hudson, 6 Filipo Levi (Josh Afu, 61), 7 Brent Wilson (Will Welch, 69), 8 Adam Balding (Peter Browne, 51).

Replacements: Joe Graham, Micky Ward, Laurence Ovens, Mark Sorenson, Peter Browne, Josh Afu, Will Welch, Micky Young, Rob Miller, Rob Vickerman, Tom Catterick, Charlie Amesbury.

Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)