The 14-12 defeat leaves the Kingsholm club requiring a win and bonus point from Sunday's home clash with Stade Francais to stand a chance of automatic qualification.
Match Summary:
3 mins:
David Humphreys opted for the post after Gloucester were penalised on half-way. His kick was just wide.
5 mins:
Gloucester had a penalty inside the Ulster half, but Amor opted to play-on and kicked ahead. From the Irish line-out 10 metres from their own line they lost possession, and Gloucester went for the line, but Balding's pass to Bailey went to touch. The referee Nigel Whitehouse brought play back again for a penalty, but Gloucester lost possession and the Irish cleared.
9 mins:
Gloucester's pack turned the Ulster forwards on their own foot-in on the Irish 22 to win possession at the set-piece.
12 mins:
Gloucester continued to dominate possession and territory in the opening quarter.
13 mins:
Gloucester had their first chance at goal when Gomarsall and Henry Paul combined to put Balding into space on halfway, but a high tackle on the number eight saw Paul point to the posts, and he slotted the kick (14 mins) in off the post.
(3-0 to Glos)
18 mins:
Ulster threatened for the first time when Humphreys broke from half-way through the Gloucester defence to the 22, but Jake Boer covered well and Gomarsall cleared. Ulster countered again, and Gloucester's defence did well to win back possession, but Bailey was penalised for not releasing the ball and Humphreys went to touch with the kick just inside the 22.
20 mins:
From the line-out Brown did superbly to steal the ball, but it bounced horribly and Parkes struggled to gather the loose ball. Ulster's Rory Best was right there and the referee went to the video referee for a decision, and gave the scrum to Ulster five metres out.
22 mins:
The ball came out and Maggs went full-steam at Amor, who brought him down. Ulster attacked again, but Humphreys got mixed up in possession and Gloucester won a penalty to clear.
24-28 mins:
The referee then made a strange decision and pulled play back to the Gloucester 22 after Goodridge had cleared, judging him to have kicked from outside the 22. Ulster's line-out was shocking and Gomarsall collected and cleared to the Irish 22. But Ulster returned the ball and Bailey struggled in the horrendously wet conditions to give Ulster possession in the set-piece. Again, the Gloucester forwards regained possession, but Ulster snatched it back as the ball bounced loose and they hacked ahead, but Henry Paul was in the right place to touch down behind his own try-line and clear.
29 mins:
Henry Paul had his second chance then to add to Gloucester's tally as Ulster were penalised just inside their own half. Paul's kick was great and went right through the middle.
(6-0 to Glos)
32 mins:
Gloucester maintained the pressure and Henry Paul put in a tricky chip on halfway over the Ulster defence. The Irish midfield struggled to cover and Fanolua hacked ahead with Eustace chasing, but full-back Cunningham touchdown over his own try line for a Gloucester scrum five metres out.
The Gloucester pack was strong and solid at the set-piece and won another penalty from the set-piece as Vickery continued to dominate on the tight side.
34 mins:
Henry Paul's kick was successful and Gloucester took a nine a nil lead.
(9-0 to Glos)
37 mins:
Amor's high kick hit the spot and Ulster knocked-on on their own 22. Amor's chip ahead from the scrum caught Henry Paul off-side.
39 mins:
Bryn Cunningham chipped and chased and won back possession and Gloucester were caught off-side at the next phase. Humphreys opted for the posts two metres inside the Gloucester half. His kick went straight through.
(9-3 to Glos)
40 mins (and injury time):
Gloucester won possession as Ulster knocked-on in their own 22. Balding attacked from the base of the scrum and Gomarsall switched play. Henry Paul took the recycled ball and made 10 metres, Gomarsall set the ball up and Amor's drop goal edged over the bar.
(12-3 to Glos)
But the half wasn't over and Ulster won the ball inside the Gloucester 22 from the restart. David Humphreys set himself for a cross-field kick that bounced out wide and Tommy Bowe pounced ahead of James Bailey over the try line. The Ulster crowd were on their feet, but the referee pulled play back for off-side as Bowe was just ahead of the kicker as he connected.
Half time: Ulster 3 Gloucester 12
Second half:
Buxton came on Hazell at half time.
Gomarsall cleared upfield and Ulster's line-out wasn't straight, giving Gloucester on the Irish 22. But straight away they won the ball back as Bezuidenhout was penalised for holding on in the tackle.
48 mins:
Ulster hit back. Humphreys took possession on the Gloucester 22 and attempted another cross-field kick. This time Bowe took it as Goodridge covered in defence, but the right winger off-loaded in the tackle to Bryn Cunningham who crossed for the score out wide. The conversion was wide.
(12-8 to Glos)
51 mins:
Gloucester were all over Ulster and played advantage in front of the posts as a chip ahead went in, but Fanolua and Garvey were judged to have knocked on as they went over the line. A couple of handling errors, in the wet conditions, followed as Ulster continued to clear their line despite further pressure from Gloucester.
56 mins:
Goodridge continued his solid form during the match under the high ball with some superb takes under immense pressure.
57 mins:
Paul Shields replaced Rory Best at hooker for Ulster.
58 mins:
The game hit boiling point as Eustace fronted up to the Ulster forwards after some off the field play from the Irish forwards.
61 mins:
Garvey then sliced the Irish defence to bits. Ulster won line-out ball but the Gloucester back line were up on Humphreys straight away and he knocked-on. Garvey picked up the loose ball just inside the Ulster half and sprinted for the line, but the Irish covering defence pulled him down 10 metres short. The ball was recycled but Fanolua knocked the slippery ball on as it came out wide.
Andy Ward came on as a replacement for Ulster.
63 mins:
Jon Goodridge continued his good game with an inch-perfect kick that bounced into touch two metres from the Ulster line.
Mark Cornwell on for Adam Eustace.
66 mins:
Ulster countered after an Amor high-ball, but Gomarsall put in the tackle of the game to force a knock-on on half-way to regain possession.
67 mins:
Rowan Frost came on for Ulster.
69 mins:
Ulster hit back with a fly-hack from the loose-ball but Amor's sliding tackle put the ball into touch on his own 22. Brown stole line-out ball and Gloucester cleared. The Irish province ran the return and caused Gloucester problems out wide. They switched play with a kick and Garvey was penalised for not releasing the ball as he was caught with the ball. Humphreys' kick was successful to take the match to a one-point game (70 mins).
(12-11 to Glos)
Paddy Wallace came on for Tyrone Howe.
Ulster threw everything at Gloucester and the conditions got worse and worse. The Irish side won a penalty in front of the posts and inside the Gloucester 22. Humphreys kick was successful for Ulster to take the lead for the first time in the match.
Forrester came on for Balding.
(14-12 to Ulster)
Again a loose ball gave Ulster the chance to kick ahead, but this time their chasing players were penalised as Amor covered.
77 mins:
Gloucester won a penalty just inside their own half and went to touch midway into the Ulster half.
79 mins:
Gloucester's forward tore Ulster to bits as they recycled phase upon phase and made 50 metres down the Ravenhill pitch, but a knock-on five metres short s saw a scrum to Ulster.
80 mins:
Again the Gloucester pack tore into the Ulster forwards and made 20 metres, but Amor's last ditch drop goal went just wide.
Injury time:
Moore came on at prop for Ulster.
Ulster:
15. Bryn Cunningham, 14. Tommy Bowe, 13. Kevin Maggs, 12. Paul Steinmetz, 11. Tyrone Howe, 10. David Humphreys, 9. Kieran Humphreys, 1. Simon Best, 2. Rory Best, 3. Rod Moore, 4. Gary Longwell, 5. Matt McCullough, 6. Campbell Feather (c), 7. Neil Best, 8. Roger Wilson
Replacements:
16. Paul Shields, 17. Ronan McCormack, 18. Rowan Frost, 19. Andy Ward, 20. Neil Doak, 21. Adam Larkin, 22. Paddy Wallace
Gloucester:
15. Jon Goodridge, 14. Marcel Garvey, 13. Terry Fanolua, 12. Henry Paul, 11. James Bailey, 10. Simon Amor, 9. Andy Gomarsall, 1. Christo Bezuidenhout, 2. James Parkes, 3. Phil Vickery, 4. Adam Eustace, 5. Alex Brown, 6. Jake Boer (c), 7. Andy Hazell, 8. Adam Balding
Replacements:
16. Rob Elloway, 17. Terry Sigley, 18. Mark Cornwell, 19. Peter Buxton, 20. James Forrester, 21. Alex Page, 22. Nathan Mauger