TRIES from Lee Jones and Taqele Naiyaravoro earned Glasgow Warriors a losing bonus point, but there was no happy return to the venue where they were crowned PRO12 champions last year.
Warriors had Ryan Wilson sin binned in the 70th minute, but they were left to rue the concession of several penalties on their own ball in attack at Kingspan Stadium.
“It wasn’t down to effort. The boys left plenty out there and we put our bodies on the line and the effort was outstanding,” said Warriors No.8 Wilson.
“But we turned over the ball too many times and our discipline is something we've not done well tonight.
“We looked to go for the tries, we put them in the corner, but it didn’t work out. A few lineouts here and there that we should have won. If you give that many penalties away, you're going to come away losing the game.”
Jones' early try gave Warriors a 5-3 lead at the break, but Callum Black's 53rd-minute try and a solid display by replacement Paddy Jackson saw Ulster climb above leaders Connacht once more.
Defending champions Warriors, who have failed to win their last four Pro12 games, clinched a losing bonus point in added time when Naiyaravoro scored, but Ulster were value of the win.
Ten minutes in Gregor Townsend's side took the lead with a brilliant team try. In his first start Gregor Hunter sent Sam Johnson through a hole in the Ulster cover, and after good hands from Glenn Bryce and Peter Murchie, Jones finished in the corner.
Hunter missed the conversion as Warriors led 5-0, and it took until the 23rd minute for Ulster to get on the board, when Ruan Pienaar kicked a penalty after Pat MacArthur was caught offside.
Warriors held a 5-3 lead at the break after some outstanding concentration in defence and domination at the breakdown, but the loss of Pat MacArthur and Simone Favaro before half-time to injury was a blow.
Hunter was wide of the mark in the 49th minute after some good work on the ground from Leone Nakarawa earned the penalty, and from the attacks either side of that ill-discipline cost Townsend's men good offensive platforms.
And Ulster made the most of those let offs when Black powered over from close range.
But in added time Naiyaravoro caught a cross-kick from Hart which clinched a bonus point for Warriors, which could be crucial by the end of the season.
Scorers – Ulster: pens, R Pienaar, P Jackson; try, C Black. Glasgow Warriors: tries, L Jones, T Naiyaravoro.
Ulster: S Olding; C Gilroy, D Cave, S McCloskey, J Stockdale (S Arnold 75); S Windsor (P Jackson h-t), R Pienaar ( P Marshall 30 HIA); C Black (K McCall 58), R Herring (J Andrew 44), R Lutton (B Ross 76); A O’Connor, F van der Merwe; R Diack, S Reidy (C Henry 54), N Williams (R Wilson 64).
Glasgow Warriors: P Murchie; L Jones (T Naiyaravoro 64), G Bryce, S Johnson, R Hughes; G Hunter (P Horne 54), A Price (G Hart 64); R Grant (A Allan 59), P MacArthur (J Malcolm 36), S Puafisi (D Rae 70); G Peterson, L Nakarawa (J Strauss 59); R Harley, S Favaro (C Fusaro 40), R Wilson.
Referee: M Mitrea (FIR)
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