Glasgow edge out Connacht

Editor

Glasgow stayed in touch with the top four in the RaboDirect PRO12 standings after edging out Connacht 8-6 in a dismal game at Scotstoun.

Glasgow stayed in touch with the top four teams in the RaboDirect PRO12 standings after edging out Connacht 8-6 in a dismal game at Scotstoun.

The Warriors had shown heart in a narrow defeat to Toulon three weeks earlier, while Connacht were close victors over the Scarlets.

The torrid weather currently sweeping the UK took its toll on this encounter, making it difficult for either team to create try-scoring opportunities.

But a tough, close encounter was served up at Scotstoun, and it was the hosts who came out on top.

Craig Ronaldson's penalty on eight minutes put Connacht in front, but ten minutes later Glasgow responded with the game's first and only try. Henry Pyrgos made the initial break before chipping the ball, which Mark Bennett latched on to for a great try.

Ruaridh Jackson missed the conversion, meaning Glasgow's lead remained at two points, and on the stroke of half-time that advantage was gone, as Ronaldson stepped up to convert a second penalty of the afternoon.

Handling errors and mistakes at the line-out conspired against both teams in the second half, and neither was able to turn territorial advantages into try-scoring chances.

And it was Jackson's penalty goal, kicked just three minutes into the second half, that proved enough to win the game for Glasgow.

Jackson spurned the opportunity to extend the Warriors' lead in the final ten minutes, but Connacht were unable to make the hosts pay, as Glasgow held on for a narrow win.

The scorers:

For Glasgow:
Try: Bennett
Pen: Jackson

For Connacht:
Pen: Ronaldson 2

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Niko Matawalu, 14 Lee Jones, 13 Richie Vernon, 12 Mark Bennett, 11 Rory Hughes, 10 Ruaridh Jackson, 9 Henry Pyrgos, 8 Josh Strauss, 7 Tyrone Holmes, 6 Rob Harley, 5 Tom Ryder, 4 Leone Nakarawa, 3 Ed Kalman, 2 Pat MacArthur, 1 Gordon Reid.
Replacements: 16 Dougie Hall, 17 Jerry Yanuyanutawa, 18 Jon Welsh, 19 James Eddie, 20 Fraser Brown, 21 Murray McConnell, 22 Finn Russell, 23 Scott Wight.

Connacht: 15 Robbie Henshaw, 14 Fionn Carr, 13 Eoin Griffin, 12 Craig Ronaldson, 11 Matt Healy, 10 Jack Carty, 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 George Naoupu, 7 Jake Heenan, 6 John Muldoon, 5 Andrew Browne, 4 Mick Kearney, 3 Rodney Ah You, 2 Jason Harris-Wright, 1 Dennis Buckley.
Replacements: 16 Dave Heffernan, 17 Ronan Loughney, 18 JP Cooney, 19 Michael Swift, 20 Aly Muldowney, 21 Paul O'Donohoe, 22 Dan Parks, 23 Darragh Leader.

Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)
Assistant referees: Neil Paterson (Scotland), Graeme Marshall (Scotland)
Citing Commissioner: John Montgomery (Scotland)