Ulster coach Jonny Bell pinpointed his side's game management as the key difference, as they warmed up for Christmas with a vital 20-19 win over Connacht at Kingspan Stadium.
The province climbed up into the top four of the BKT United Rugby Championship for the time being, as tries from Andy Warwick and Nick Timoney, as well as 10 points from the boot of John Cooney saw them edge to the narrowest of wins.
On a night of strong winds and scattered, heavy showers, the province used the conditions to their advantage, grabbing both tries with the wind behind their back, before tagging on a pair of penalties in the second half as they played into the gale.
"In difficult things, a one-point game, how we managed the game into the wind at the end, you've got to give a lot of credit to the guys," the defence coach said.
"It was more nervy than I would have liked, but first and foremost delighted with the result.
"Like I said earlier in the week, they're a good side [Connacht], dangerous with the ball and if they get time and space they can be dangerous. Pleased we got over the line, but there are certain things we can do better."
As defence coach, Bell admits to looking back at frustration on the way they allowed Connacht to get back into the game in the second half, with Shamus Hurley-Langton and Shayne Bolton both capitalising on errors to get the visitors back within one.
And with a trip to the RDS to face Leinster next up on New Year's Day, Bell says his side won't be getting ahead of themselves.
"We kicked well, chased well, pressurised well and won a couple of important moments.
"Frustrated the game was that close, we shouldn't have allowed it to get that close.
"There's a lot of real positives, on a really difficult night to play.
"Second half, I think it was pretty nip and tuck. We were trying to manage the weather and wind, and for large parts of it we were pretty much in control, and just a couple of moments gave them soft tries."
Connacht coach Pete Wilkins identified his team's indiscipline at the start of the second half as the turning point of the game.
The province had initially controlled territory and possession for the first five minutes after the break, before three penalties in quick succession allowed John Cooney to kick Ulster into a 17-7 lead.
"That point after half time, knowing it's tight, we concede three penalties, three that gets them from deep in their half to towards our end of the field. That was incredibly important," Wilkins (below) said.
"You're always going to get those blocks of momentum, but to go three-in-a-row, that was crucial.
"Their game wasn't perfect, our game wasn't perfect, but they landed more than us and credit to them for that."
The defeat is a third in a row in the URC, and fifth consecutive loss in all competitions.
And while the province are in danger of falling out of the top eight in the table over the coming days, Wilkins said his side died with their boots on.
"We've had a couple of tough ones like that in the last month, but very proud of the effort.
"It's fine margins, when you look at the build-up to this game, Connacht and Ulster were incredibly even in terms of what they've produced this season on average.
"At half time it was incredibly even in terms of penalty counts, entries to the 22, and amount of possession, and it was going to be like that all the way through the game.
"Crucial moments, three penalties conceded just after half time to piggyback Ulster down the field was crucial. Those things make a big difference at the end of it."
