David Humphreys scored 21 points against Bridgend

However, Ulster's defence was mostly secure and only leaked two tries.

With a strong wind at their tails, Ulster began in a hurry and were 15 points to the good in as many minutes.

Three minutes had passed, with Ulster pegging Bridgend back in their own '22', when a back-row move produced the opening try.

Number eight Russell Nelson broke wide, full-back Paddy Wallace made a break and after a quick ruck scrum-half Neil Doak fed hooker Paul Shield who slid over.

Four minutes later Ulster scored again with Humphreys making the move to set skipper Andy Ward clear and it was his back-row partner Neil McMillan in support to crash over.

Humphreys converted and then landed an angled penalty to put Ulster well in control.

Sliced through

It was all of 15 minutes before Bridgend managed to get out of their own half when Gareth Thomas made a searing midfield break which eventually died in the Ulster '22'.

Bridgend finally replied when Dafydd James sliced through in the 28th minute.

He fed winger Daniel Jones who gave a scoring pass to Jamie Ringer to allow Cerith Ress convert from close-in.

Bridgend nearly scored again a few minutes later when Ringer looked clear on the right, but a despairing ankle tap by Wallace saved the day.

Ulster's Ward is confronted by Van Rensberg

Ulster applied the pressure again and scored their third try with a neat piece of skill from Ward in the 35th minute.

Taking the ball down the short side from a ruck he chipped over the head of the defence, collected the bounce and fed Humphreys who crashed over in the corner.

Bridgend sparkled on the restart, putting together some useful phases of play without getting that all-important breakthrough which their energy deserved.

But the Welshmen were cut to shreds in the 64th minute with a wonderful try, fashioned by Humphrreys.

Shaping up to clear his lines inside his own '22' he dummied his way clear before feeding James Topping.

The former Ireland winger sprinted clear with great pace and although closed down managed to find the supporting Shane Stewart who forced his way over with Humphreys adding the conversion.

Ulster's Shane Stewart got a second half try

At 27-7 ahead Ulster went for the jugular and stretched their lead in the 71st minute with a pushover try from a line-out with Ward getting the touchdown.

Two minutes later excellent initiative from Wallace allowed Ulster to go further ahead.

The full-back collected his own kick, fed Shields who allowed Humphreys to run half the length of the field for his second try which he converted himself.

The rout continued with Ward collecting a double after a fine break by Doak with man-of-the-match Humphreys adding the extra points.

Bridgend got a consolation try with James, who had a storming game in the centre, crashing over with Adrian Durston converting.

Ulster: P Wallace; J Topping, S Stewart, A Larkin, T Howe; D Humphreys, N Doak; S Best, P Shields, C Boyd, G Longwell, J Davidson, A Ward, capt, N McMillan, R Nelson.

Replacements: S Coulter for Stewart (68), R Constable for Larkin (66), B Free for Doak (78), T McWhirter for McMillan (66), M Blair for Davidson (40), J Campbell for Boyd (78), R Weir.

Scorers - tries: Shields, McMillan, Humphreys (2), Stewart, Ward (2); Pens: Humphreys; Cons: Humphreys (4).

Bridgend: A Durston, D Jones, D James, G Thomas, R Mustoe, C Rees, J Hewlett; A Griffiths, A Joy, C Moon, O Lloyd, P Clapham, M Molitika, J Ringer, S Van Rensberg.

Replacements: H Harries, G Williams for Joy (32), C Loader for Noon (70) , J Funnell for Van Rensberg (76), M Peters for Jones (40), D Fitzgerald for Ringer (73), R Long for Rees (47).

Scorers - tries: Ringer, James; Cons: Rees, Dunston.

Referee: A Rolland (Leinster).