 | CELTIC LEAGUE Glasgow (16) 30 Tries: Staniforth, Turner, Gregor Cons: Gregor (3) Pen: Gregor (3) Connacht (3) 15 Tries: Farley, McPhilips Con: Warwick Pen: Warwick
Att: 1,518 |
Glasgow snuffed out the challenge of Connacht at Hughenden on Friday night - but they failed to claim a crucial Celtic League bonus point. Despite earning the vast bulk of territory Glasgow could only earn three tries, through Graydon Staniforth, Dan Turner and Colin Gregor.
A rousing start helped Glasgow to a 16-3 lead at the break and Connacht's late rally was not enough.
Andy Farley and Conor McPhillips went over for the visitors.
It was no surprise when Glasgow broke the deadlock with an angled penalty by Gregor.
Glasgow kept up the momentum and stretched their advantage with another Gregor strike following a deliberate knock-on.
Connacht then created their first meaningful attack in reply, with Paul Warwick clawing back three points thanks to an accurate 35-metre penalty.
The kick was, however, the cue for the Warriors to storm back up field to manufacture a superb try.
From a scrum, number eight Johnny Beattie scooped up the ball from the base and freed stand-in skipper Graeme Beveridge, whose pass was perfectly delivered for full-back Staniforth to romp in under the crossbar to give Gregor a formality of a conversion.
Gregor completed his first-half treble with a 40-metre thump on the stroke of the interval.
Play became disjointed with both teams trying to over-complicate their approach but it was the Warriors who settled quickest after the break to effectively put the match out of reach.
A well-controlled pack surge enabled lock Turner to reach the target at full-stretch, with Gregor gleefully maintaining his 100% record with the boot as he expanded the lead to 20.
But Connacht were not completely killed off and less than five minutes later they sneaked in for a touchdown from Farley, goaled by Warwick.
Gregor burst back into the limelight to convert his own try under the crossbar in the wake of a breakout from the home 22-area featuring Hefin O'Hare and Shaw.
But back came Connacht with another touchdown from McPhillips.
Glasgow: Staniforth, O'Hare, Morrison, Barrow, Shaw, Gregor, Beveridge, Tckachuk, Lawson, Harrison, Barker, Turner, Dearlove, Barclay, Beattie.
Replacements: Thomson, Corsar, Hayter, Swindall, Pinder, Henderson, McLaughlin.
Connacht: Mostyn, Robinson, Yapp, Matthews, McPhillips, Warwick, Keane, McFarland, Fogerty, Knoop, Short, Farley, Muldoon, O'Connor, Rigney.
Replacements: Merrigan, Gannon, Swift, O'Loughlin, Slemen, Riordan, Loughney.
Referee: Tim Hayes (WRFU)