SPIRITED Newport Gwent Dragons suffered last-gasp anguish in their bid to break their Guinness Pro12 away duck when Ulster went to the top of the table thanks to a penalty at the death.

Seven days after a defensive masterclass did for Leinster at Rodney Parade, the Dragons put absolutely everything on the line against another title hopeful.

They showed incredible spirit and accuracy in defence when down to 13 men in one remarkable spell in the second half and yet had to be content with leaving Kingspan Stadium with a solitary point to go with their bruises.

The Dragons led for 74 minutes only to be denied by a late, late penalty by Paddy Jackson – how they must wish the fly-half had been selected on the bench for Ireland’s Six Nations opener against Wales instead of Ian Madigan.

It was so cruel; for Ruan Pienaar in 2011 with a late drop goal read Jackson in 2016.

The Dragons hadn’t won in Belfast since a 16-14 success in September 2008 while they had lost all of the season’s previous league encounters at Connacht, Leinster, Glasgow, the Scarlets, Edinburgh and the Ospreys.

But they produced comfortably their best league performance away from Rodney Parade this season – this was more like the European Challenge Cup Dragons (Sale excepted).

They were lively with ball in hand, committed and organised without it.

The Dragons couldn’t have made much of a better start in front of the raucous home support with a wonderful attack of purposeful running going from halfway to five metres out where they won a scrum that in turn earned a penalty.

Angus O’Brien, who had impressively been to the fore of the attack on his first start for almost a year, knocked over the simple three-pointer.

The next 10 minutes were spent in Dragons territory but the visitors held firm with good organisation and commitment.

Such pressure and tackling exertions was sure to end in a score… yet it was the Welsh side who struck with a try of the season contender in the 17th minute.

Turnover ball was worked wide for Ashton Hewitt and the 21-year-old wing from Caerleon added to rapidly-increasing catalogue of searing breaks, beating six men to get into Ulster territory.

Swift hands then found full-back Carl Meyer down the left and he put a grubber kick through for centre Adam Hughes to gather and slide over.

It was a majestic score that featured 10 players and the Dragons’ smiles grew even bigger when O’Brien added a majestic conversion from the left touchline.

Sadly his opposite number Ian Humphreys matched that effort in the 27th minute when he smacked over a conversion after flanker Sean Reidy had powerfully finished down the left, escaping Hewitt’s low tackle.

It was just was Ulster needed but it took some desperate home defence to keep it at 10-7 when Hughes cut a lovely line off a neat Hallam Amos pass on the stroke of half-time, the centre dragged down five metres short with the ruck ball disrupted.

The pace was frenetic with the crowd being given plenty of entertainment, although there were a few home grumbles about the inaccuracy of their side.

Les Kiss would have been encouraging his team to up their game at the break while Lyn Jones would have been asking his to dig deep and provide more of the same.

The former used half-time to strengthen his side with the introduction of fly-half Paddy Jackson and centre Stuart McCloskey after their release from the Six Nations camp while the bulky frame of Cardiff Blues-bound number eight Nick Williams was soon rumbling onto the field after Robbie Diack suffered a blow to the neck, the South African-born Ireland international thankfully walking off.

Yet it was the Dragons who started sharply and they got their reward in the 47th minute when Nic Cudd burst through from a pop pass by fellow flanker Ben White then, after the pack had done the donkey work, Meyer was put over by Landman.

O’Brien’s conversion was wide but at 15-7 the visitors were scenting a famous win.

However, the tide turned in the 53rd minute when a high tackle on Pienaar by White saw Ulster go to the corner and set up a driving lineout that not only earned a penalty try but led to lock Matthew Screech being sin-binned.

Paddy Jackson converted for 15-14 and the Dragons were really up against it when World Cup final referee Nigel Owens showed White yellow for a marginal second high tackle.

The Dragons were under the pump yet headed into the final quarter with their one-point advantage, with openside Cudd protecting the lead with a trademark majestic jackal on his line after a powerful Williams carry.

The pressure was intense and the Ulster frustration mounted when back row forward Roger Wilson’s try was chalked off by the TMO after a knock-on in the build-up.

The Dragons somehow survived the spell of the sin bins but the fear was that their defensive exertions would lead to some heavy legs in the closing stages.

A booming penalty by Jackson smacked against the bar with seven minutes left – Ulster were getting anxious that top spot would not be theirs.

Alas, he got another chance when the Dragons were pinged for hands in the ruck and this time his effort made it over the bar by inches.

Ulster: L Ludik (S McCoskey 40), C Gilroy, D Cave, S Olding (P Marshall 66), J Stockdale, I Humphreys (P Jackson 40), R Pienaar, C Black (K McCall 49), R Herring (captain), R Lutton (B Ross 70), A O’Connor, P Browne (A John 56), R Diack (N Williams 43), S Reidy (C Ross 53), R Wilson.

Scorers: tries – S Reidy, penalty; conversions – I Humphreys, P Jackson; penalty – P Jackson

Dragons: C Meyer, A Hewitt, A Hughes, A Warren, H Amos, A O’Brien, C Davies, P Price (B Stankovich 57), E Dee, B Harris (S Knight 64), M Screech, R Landman (captain), B White (C Hill 67), N Cudd, E Jackson (J Benjamin 32).

Scorers: tries – A Hughes, C Meyer; conversions – A O’Brien; penalties – A O’Brien

Yellow cards: M Screech, B White

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

Argus star man: Nic Cudd