Newport Gwent Dragons took Europe by storm as they marked their debut in the Heineken Cup by dumping former winners Ulster at a cheering Rodney Parade yesterday.

Any kind of win against any opposition on such an auspicious occasion would have been acceptable, but the fact that it came against one of the leading lights and the fact that the Dragons scored two tries to nil made victory especially sweet.

Even Wales coach Steve Hansen found the performance encouraging, and a near-5,000 crowd was delighted.

The platform was set up front where the pack rocked Ulster with their superiority, while the icing on the cake was provided by Percy Montgomery.

It might be unfair to single out individuals in what was clearly a mighty team effort, but for Montgomery to end his six months' exile after being banned for pushing a touchjudge by scoring the winning try two minutes from the end was almost the stuff of fairy-tales.

Until then there was never more than one score in it as the two sides slugged it out blow for blow.

Lee Javis and David Humpreys traded kick for kick, the Dragons' outside-half landing four penalties, his Irish opposite number also kicking four and landing a dropped goal.

With the Dragons scoring a 34th- minute try through Ben Breeze after they expertly wheeled an Ulster scrum for skipper Jason Forster to put Breeze over down an unguarded blind side, it meant they led by just two points with time running out.

Humphreys tried one dropped goal shot which missed the target, and there were fears of another to follow English pair Jonny Wilkin-son in the World Cup final and Charlie Hodgson in the closing minutes for Sale in a humdinger of a match against Cardiff Blues on Saturday evening.

But instead it was the Dragons who struck the lethal blow. Just two minutes of normal time were left when the Dragons mounted a final assault which left Ulster reeling and not a little shell-shocked.

Replacement hooker Paul Young played a vital role as the Dragons were held up on the Ulster 22, combining with Jarvis, and then putting Breeze away for the winger to hand on to the supporting Montgomery, who crowned his Dragons debut by dashing over for a try far enough around to make Jarvis' conversion a near-formality.

That meant Ulster had to score twice, and though they mounted one more attack, their efforts had already grown increasingly desperate, and when Paul Steinmetz threw a wild, untakeable pass to Humphreys, they were forced to admit defeat.

The Dragons stopped them in their tracks up front, denying them any form of platform as they wheeled them in the scrums and took their lineout ball.

Particularly adept at that was Peter Sidoli, watched by brother Robert, the Wales lock, who at this rate may even have to look to his laurels with another member of the family making such a big impression.

Fellow lock Ian Gough also had a huge game, taking lineout ball, running hard and putting in some of his trademark tackles.

The forward who made the biggest impression, however, not least on coach Mike Ruddock, was number eight Ross Beattie, who was absolutely tremendous on his major Dragons debut, helping to snuff out the dangerous Andy Ward.

But for me the man of the match was scrum-half Gareth Baber, a real terrier, who constantly harassed opposite number Neil Doak and made any number of thrustful runs, as well as sending out a decent service.

Centres Steve Winn and Hal Luscombe continued their useful partnership, while Breeze never stopped.

Montgomery was too tied down dealing with the kicking game of Humphreys to make much of an impression in attack.

But there could be few complaints about a performance which will now sound the alarm bells in England and France.

Neither Leicester nor Stade Francais will relish coming to Rodney Parade on the evidence of this form.

The Dragons have really created a ripple in the pond and have blasted a huge hole in their Heineken Cup group. That alone is tribute enough.

Newport Gwent Dragons: P Montgomery, N Brew (G Arasa 35-40 mins), H Luscombe (A Marinos 78), S Winn, B Breeze, L Jarvis, G Baber, A Black (R Snow 53), S Jones (P Young 45), C Anthony, I Gough (M Owen 78), P Sidoli, J Ringer (R Oakley 78), R Beattie, J Forster (captain). Scorers -- Tries: B Breeze, P Montgomery; Penalties: L Jarvis (4); Conversion: Jarvis.

Ulster: B Cunningham, J Topping, R Constable, P Steinmetz, T Howe, D Humphreys, N Doak, R Kempson, M Sexton (P Shields 40), S Best (R Moore 58), R Frost, G Longwell (M Mustchin 55), A Ward (captain), R Wilson, N Best.