Mark Kettyle tries to get away from Chris Hughes in Friday's game

Leeds led 9-6 at the break with Alberto Di Bernardo kicking the visitors' points and Niall O'Connor notching two Ulster penalties.

Mark McCrea scored a great Ulster try late in the second half after Di Bernardo had struck a drop goal.

Replacement Tommy Bowe twice nearly broke away to score while Di Bernardo just missed an injury-time penalty.

It was a typical pre-season friendly with a plethora of errors in a persistent drizzle mainly from a fairly young Ulster side that were missing their main senior internationals.

The first half was a kicking duel between the respective fly-halves with Italian A international Di Bernardo edging the battle.

Leeds, who persisted in a very one-paced pick and drive policy, always had the upper hand, particularly in the line-out where Ulster continually handed over possession on their own throw.

The second half was a bit of a dirge and initially brightened up by De Bernardo's drop goal in the 69th minute.

Ulster, though, who ran their whole bench, showed a little more spirit and gelled together to put together some fine thrusts.

The crowd, however, were finally brought to life eight minutes from the end when left wing young Academy flyer McCrea came off his opposite flank to take a pass from Adam Larkin to spear in.

Steinmetz converted to put Ulster ahead for the first time while Di Bernardo saw his last-ditch kick just fade past the upright.

Ulster: M Bartholomeusz; M Kettyle, D Cave, P Steinmetz, M McCrea; N O'Connor, K Campbell; J Fitzpatrick, N Brady, T Court, T Barker, R Caldwell; C Henry, N McMillan, R Wilson (capt).Replacements: J Carey for Court (37), S Philpott for Brady (65), T Bowe for Kettyle (47), F Paulo for Barker (72), M McCullough for Henry (40), T Anderson for McCullough (67), D Pollock for McMillan (40), P Marshall for Campbell (68), S Mallon for Cave (56), A Larkin for O'Connor (56), T Bowe for M Kettyle (40), B Cunningham for Batholomeusz (71).

Leeds: J Goodridge; C Hughes, J Hepworth, R Welding, T Biggs; A Di Bernado, J Bedford; M Cusack, R Rawlinson, A Hopcroft, S Hooper, capt, K Myall, J Dunbar, H Fourie, R Oakley. Replacements (all used): C Noon, J Parkes, P Bpouza, M Lock, D Edwards, R Vasey, L Blackett, L Hinton.

Referee: George Clancy (IRFU).