 Jones became Scarlets' highest-ever points scorer |
Scarlets (16) 32 Tries: Evans, Williams, Jones Cons: Jones Pens: Jones 5 Glasgow Warriors (17) 37 Tries: Van der Merwe, Forrester, O'Hare, Stortoni Cons: Parks 4 Pens: Parks 3
Glasgow Warriors' hopes of winning a home tie in the Magners League play-off semi-finals hang by a thread after a scrappy win over Scarlets. Dan Evans' early try put Scarlets ahead and Lee Williams added their second, but DTH van der Merwe and Calum Forrester had replied in between. Stephen Jones' try just after the break made him Scarlets' highest-ever points scorer and restored the lead. But Hefin O'Hare and Bernardo Stortoni tries secured a bonus-point victory. With Ospreys easing to victory over Dragons, it means that Glasgow must rely on Edinburgh beating long-time leaders Leinster on Sunday to claim a home tie in the semi-finals by finishing in the top two. Glasgow had started brightly and O'Hare, who was a late replacement in the startling line-up for the injured Max Evans, went over the try line within the first couple of minutes following a clever dummy by Fergus Thomson. But the score was ruled out for offside and it was Scarlets who did open the scoring after eight minutes, when Dan Evans went over the line from a Williams' pass. Jones, who started the evening needing seven points to overtake Andy Hill as Scarlets highest-ever points scorer, missed the conversion and a penalty from Parks reduced the arrears three minutes later. Van der Merwe found the space to score Glasgow's opening try following a neat pass by Parks, who added the conversion to extend the lead to 10-5. Jones replied with a penalty after Moray Low was ruled offside, but Forrester added the visitors' second try on the half-hour mark.  Parks scored 14 points for Glasgow despite an error-filled game |
Parks was again the creator and the fly-half added the conversion from under the posts. Kelly Brown was sin-binned for coming in from the side of a ruck and Jones reduced the deficit with the resulting penalty. Scarlets made their pressure and the extra man tell in the dying seconds of the first half as Williams wriggled over in the corner. Glasgow retained their lead because Jones missed the conversion, but the visitors suffered another blow at half-time, with Scotland scrum-half Chris Cusiter going off injured and being replaced with Mark McMillan. Scarlets themselves lost try-scorer Williams, with Andy Fenby coming into the wing position. However, the home side made their one-man advantage tell and, when Scarlets pushed the Scots back in the scrum, Jones eased over under the posts and added the conversion to create his new points record. Parks immediately replied with a penalty, but loose passes by the fly-half were putting Glasgow in trouble. However, the player who will be playing for Cardiff next season popped over a mighty kick from just inside the Scarlets half to tie the scores. Scarlets replied immediately when Glasgow were caught offside after a fine break from Parks' Scotland team-mate, Sean Lamont, with Jones slotting over an easy penalty. Jones extended the lead with another penalty as Scarlets exerted increasing pressure. However, after a fine flowing move, Evans dropped the ball and Glasgow broke clear and O'Hare scored a fine individual try, converted by Parks, as the visitors re-took the lead against the run of play. A great crossfield kick from Parks found O'Hare in space and, when he offloaded to Stortoni to score under the posts, the fly-half's conversion gave Glasgow some breathing space with 10 minutes remaining. Jones missed a penalty, but Glasgow had to play the closing minutes of the game down to 14 men when McMillan was yellow carded for going in from the side. The successful penalty from Jones put Scarlets to within five points with seven minutes remaining, but Glasgow held on for a win that leaves them a point behind Ospreys and one ahead of Leinster.
Glasgow Warriors coach Sean Lineen: "It wasn't a classic game of rugby and it was very loose. "We didn't have the physicality that we demanded and our defence was pretty paper thin at times. "We came here to get a bonus point and we got it. Unfortunately, I think Ospreys got one as well, so that is us in third at the moment. "Over the season, we have made huge strides and I am really proud of the way they have stuck together through the season. "We need to raise our game at least four or five levels to compete with whoever we play against because the teams that are left in are incredibly physical."
Scarlets: Evans, Lamont, King, J. Davies, L. Williams, S. Jones, Roberts, I. Thomas, Rees, R. Thomas, Cooper, Day, McCusker, Turnbull, Lyons. Replacements: Priestland for Lamont (64), Fenby for L. Williams (43), Knoyle for Roberts (53), Owens for Rees (63), Reed for Day (53). Not Used: John, Edwards. Glasgow: Stortoni, van der Merwe, O'Hare, Morrison, Dewey, Parks, Cusiter, Tkachuk, Thomson, Low, Gray, Kellock, Forrester, Brown, Beattie. Replacements: Horne for Dewey (67), Hall for Thomson (53), Kalman for Low (61), Turner for Gray (53), Eddie for Forrester (65). Not Used: McMillan, Weir. Att: 5,613 Ref: James Jones (WRFU).
|
Bookmark with:
What are these?