Wayne Pivac has offered no excuses after the Scarlets lost for the third successive time in the Heineken Champions Cup to end any realistic hopes of making the knockout stages.

A narrow 25-24 home defeat to Ulster on Friday night means the region are still without a win at the halfway mark of the pool stages.

The Scarlets needed a victory if they were going to repeat last season’s sequence of two early defeats ushering in four straight victories, but it never looked likely.

They are simply not playing with the same vibrancy and flow as a year ago and even though they were without both Leigh Halfpenny and Jake Ball, Pivac admitted: “Injuries are not why we have lost.

“We didn’t lack for effort, but the accuracy wasn’t there at times and we paid the ultimate price for that.

“They brought some very good line speed, but when we did make breaks there was a bit of inaccuracy on our part.

“Overall, we are very disappointed. We were not clinical enough and that is what has cost us.

“This is a low point, but it’s not over. There are three games to go and we’ve got to keep building on our performances.”

Ireland star Jacob Stockdale produced another try-scoring, match-turning performance as Ulster improved their own chances of progress.

Stockdale, whose touchdown helped Ireland beat world champions New Zealand last month, struck in the first half at Parc-y-Scarlets to underpin his team’s bonus-point victory.

His fellow wing Henry Speight, centre Will Addison and No.8 Marcell Coetzee also scored, with scrum-half John Cooney kicking a penalty and conversion to leave Ulster level on points with Pool 4 pace-setters Racing 92.

But the Scarlets – European semi-finalists last season – are facing an early exit following a third-successive defeat as two Steff Evans tries, a late Dan Davis try, a Rhys Patchell penalty and two conversions plus Dan Jones’ conversion, proved in vain.

The teams meet again in Belfast next Friday, and all the momentum is with Ulster, whose remaining Champions Cup fixtures also include a potentially-pivotal home clash against Racing next month.

Patchell and Cooney exchanged early penalties, while Ulster stretched the Scarlets defence through a strong run by Speight, and it proved a warning for what was to come just five minutes later.

Ulster attacked from a scrum inside their own half, with Addison easily rounding Scarlets and Wales centre Jonathan Davies, before possession found its way to Stockdale, who showed his class in blistering fashion.

Stockdale – scorer of 12 tries in 14 Ireland appearances – brushed aside the challenges of wing Evans and scrum-half Gareth Davies to complete a sweeping 60-metre move in style, and although Cooney’s conversion attempt drifted wide on a blustery night in west Wales, Ulster were off and running.

Scarlets lock Lewis Rawlins went off for assessment after being on the receiving end of an Ulster challenge that referee Alexandre Ruiz reviewed, but took no action other than to award the home side a penalty.

But the Scarlets forwards then moved up a gear, driving deep into Ulster’s 22 and setting up an imposing attacking platform, from which Evans prospered to claim a close-range try that Patchell converted.

The Scarlets’ lead only lasted eight minutes, though, as a poor Patchell clearance kick allowed Ulster the chance to run possession back and – after some patient build-up work – Speight crossed for his team’s second try and secured a 13-10 interval advantage.

Ulster extended their lead 10 minutes after the restart when Cooney found Addison with a defence-splitting pass, and the centre finished effortlessly before Cooney’s conversion opened up a commanding lead.

It was the cue for the Scarlets to start putting width on their game, and Jonathan Davies was instrumental through his powerful carrying and support play before Best secured a penalty for his team and Ulster relieved the pressure.

But Evans set up the final quarter when he sprinted over for his second try, with Patchell’s conversion cutting the gap to 20-17, yet Ulster responded immediately as Coetzee went over in the corner.

And Coetzee’s touchdown proved the telling score, with the Scarlets left reeling despite a stoppage-time Davis try that Jones converted, leaving them looking down and out in Europe.