Glasgow Warriors 8, Ulster 19

All good things come to an end. Glasgow Warriors’ run of six home wins in a row was broken by Ulster at Hughenden this evening.

That was despite the huge territorial advantage that Glasgow exerted almost throughout an enthralling, raging contest. Ulster, however, were better at taking their chances for a victory that keep them at the top of the Magners League table.

Glasgow were let down by their lineout. Too much ball was lost on the touchline, and they were also rarely able fit together enough continuity. In that respect they left their best to end in the prelude to the Andy Newman try with only added time remaining. By then, though, Ulster were confident of victory, and they were looking for a bonus point that was denied them by Glasgow’s dogged, at times hefty defence.

Afterwards, Sean Lineen, Warriors’ coach, was not despondent. “I was proud of the guys because of their heart,” he reflected on their persistence and defence.

As for Ulster, he described them as “not flash, but what they do they do well.” The most telling example of was them the visitors fired in two tries inside four minutes midway in the second, stretching away from a slender four-point lead to 19-3.

For the first 11 minutes Glasgow marked their game with heavy pressure. A close-range lineout drive came to nothing. So did a break by Andrew Henderson. So did the opening that was sprung when Justin Va’a charged down a Paddy Wallace clearance.

But Ulster made no mistake with their first chance. Tommy Bowe’s break and Wallace’s follow-up laid on a try by Rory Best in 15 minutes. Wallace converted.

Glasgow kept the screws on Ulster for most the remainder of the first half. Their efforts were without reward, even though they twice had ideal positions on the Ulster goal-line. A long penalty kick by Parks from his own 22, bouncing kindly into the left corner, preluded a couple of penalty lineouts, and later a diagonal punt by the stand-off allowed Thom Evans to force a five-metre scrummage. Those chances were lost to a penalty and a free kick.

Ulster seemed to have extended their lead when Bowe went over on the right. The referee, however, denied the score because of a forward pass.

Two minutes into the second half Glasgow scored at last when a Hefin O’Hare kick procured a penalty in front of the posts. Dan Parks kicked the goal, but Ulster struck back on the hour when Neil Best went over from a penalty lineout drive.

Wallace missed the conversion, but less than four minutes later he kicked the goal when Ulster took the game almost out of sight with a Bowe try from a sweeping counter from a loose Glasgow kick deep in the visitors’ half. The Ulster support, travelling in numbers, were in full voice. “One more for the bonus point” was their chant. Their cries were not answered, though they went home happy

It was Glasgow who had the game’s fourth try, set up by a forceful thrust into the Ulster half. Rory Lamont and Sam Pinder provided the links for Newman to score. Colin Gregor’s conversion attempt drifted wide.

Glasgow Warriors – Colin Gregor; Rory Lamont, Hefin O’Hare, Andy Henderson, Thom Evans; Dan Parks, Graeme Beveridge; Justin Va'a, Fergus Thomson, Euan Murray, Dan Turner, Alastair Kellock (captain), Andrew Wilson, John Barclay, John Beattie. Substitutes – Sam Pinder for Beveridge (half-time), James Eddie for Beattie (52 minutes), Kevin Tkachuk for Murray (56), Eric Milligan for Thomson (61), Andy Newman for Turner (64), Steve Swindall for Wilson (64), Scott Barrow for Parks (67).
Try, Newman; penalty goal, Parks.

Ulster – Mark Bartholomeusz, Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble, Kevin Maggs, Paul McKenzie, Paddy Wallace, Isaac Boss, Bryan Young, Rory Best, Simon Best (captain), Justin Harrison, Matt McCullough, Neil Best, Kieran Dawson, Roger Wilson. Substitutes – Kieran Campbell for Boss (20), Paul Steinmetz for Maggs (53), Justin Fitzpatrick for Young (61), Tim Barker for McCullough (61), Neil McMillan for Dawson (69), Paul Shields for Rory Best (75). Not used – Adam Larkin.
Tries, Rory Best, Neil Best, Bowe; conversions, Wallace (2).

Referee – James Jones (Wales).

Attendance – 2799.

This article was posted on 7-Jan-2007, 01:43 by Hugh Barrow.