Ulster failed to follow up last week’s win at Munster as they slumped to a disappointing defeat against Edinburgh at Murrayfield but salvaged a bonus point with a late penalty.

It was Edinburgh’s fourth successive home win in the competition but Ulster were masters of their own downfall.

A disastrous start gifted Edinburgh the game as they built up an unassailable 18-3 lead in the first quarter.

Ulster rallied and tightened up in defence and restricted Edinburgh to just one more penalty in the last hour.

Ulster scrummed well but the platform the forwards set up was ruined by too many knock ons and poor indiscipline.

Edinburgh out half Phil Godman opened the scoring with a second minute penalty which went over via the post after Ulster were caught offside.

The home side extended their lead four minutes later when Scottish full back Hugo Southwell finished off a sweeping move which started in the Edinburgh 22.

Mike Blair took a quick line out, winger Andrew Turnbull cut through the Ulster defence, the ball was recycled and moved across the pitch were there was an overlap and Southwell went over unopposed with Godman converting.

Ian Humphreys opened Ulster’s account with a ninth minute penalty after Isaac Boss forced Blair into a mistake.

Godman restored Edinburgh’s 10 point advantage on 14 minutes with his second penalty when Stephen Ferris was adjudged to have hit a ruck with his shoulder.

Edinburgh scored their second try on 19 minutes when Mark McCrea fumbled and then slipped trying to deal with a Blair kick, the home side won the ball on the ground and lock Jim Hamilton picked up from the base of the ruck to go over.

Humphreys slotted over his second penalty a minute later as he was taken out by a late tackle.

He then added a third penalty on 28 minutes when flanker Roddy Grant came in from the side at the ruck

Clinton Schifcofske had Ulster’s best try scoring chance of the half but he cut inside away from his support runners and Edinburgh forced a penalty to take a 18-9 lead into half time.

Ulster enjoyed plenty of possession at the start of the second half but couldn’t break through a well drilled home defence and had to settle for another Humphreys penalty on 49 minutes when Hamilton was punished for not rolling away at the ruck.

Godman nudged Edinburgh further in front with his third penalty on 56 minutes.

Andrew Trimble had a chance to create an opening as he ran back a poor clearing kick out of the Edinburgh defence but prop Allen Jacobsen was able to force him into touch on the 22.

Edinburgh thought they had a third try as winger Simon Webster burst through on a crash ball but David Blair’s pass was ruled forward.

Coach Matt Williams emptied the bench and reshuffled the backline but to no avail as the mistakes which had plagued Ulster from the first whistle continued.

Paddy Wallace narrowly failed with a long range penalty after Edinburgh collapsed a scrum.

Wallace was on target with a penalty 20 seconds from full time to get a vital bonus point as Ulster were forced to counter attack from deep.

Ulster had one last throw of the dice from the restart but a jinxing Paul Marshall break ended with a knock on.

Edinburgh: H Southwell, A Turnbull, B Cairns, J Houston, S Webster, P Godman, Mike Blair (capt); A Jacobsen; R Ford; G Cross; C Hamilton, J Hamilton, S Cross, R Grant, A Hogg.

Replacements: A Kelly, G Kerr, B Gissing, S Newlands, G Laidlaw, D Blair, N De Luca.

Ulster: C Schifcofske; A Trimble, D Cave, P Wallace, M McCrea, I Humphreys, I Boss; T Court, R Best (capt), BJ Botha, E O'Donoghue, M McCullough, S Ferris, D Pollock, R Diack.

Replacements: N Brady, J Fitpzatrick, F Paulo, K Dawson, P Marshall, P Steinmetz, B Cunningham.

Referee: G Morris WRU.