THE HERALD REPORTS

Glasgow Warriors 30 - 14 Llanelli Scarlets
Glasgow Warriors started slowly, then got better and better to continue their rise up the table in impressive fashion last night.

Coming back from 11 points down to the Heineken Cup quarter-finalists late in the first half, they secured the bonus point with an injury-time score.

The Scarlets made much the better start and although a Ceiron Thomas penalty was cancelled out by one from Dan Parks, the visitors' stand-off added a second then played a key role in the opening try.

A shimmy then delayed pass sent Matthew Watkins through a hole in midfield and while the centre was stopped five metres short, the ball was recycled quickly for Dafydd Jones to go over in the right corner.

Thomas missed the conversion but knocked over a third penalty and with Jon Petrie and Thom Evans both having to be replaced, things were going badly wrong for the Warriors.

They needed a lift and Rory Lamont provided it with a searing break, exploding on to a superb Parks pass inside his own half and making 40 metres before putting in an excellent chip. Barry Davies had just enough pace to get to the ball in goal ahead of Hefin O'Hare. From the drop-out a powerful run by John Barclay got the Warriors moving again and Lamont, dancing through, made further inroads before the ball was shifted to the left wing where O'Hare carried a defender over the line to score.

A clever lineout early in the second-half, thrown short by Fergus Thomson to Sam Pinder just as the replacement scrum-half took the field, took them deep into the 22 once again.

After they were awarded a penalty five metres out, James Baster was sin-binned for preventing Pinder from making progress after taking it quickly.

The pressure was maintained as Parks kicked to the corner; after a powerful drive forced the defence on to the back foot, Steve Swindall forced his way into the right corner.

Parks converted brilliantly to put his team ahead for the first time.

The stand-off then played a major part in a superb piece of defending, hauling Regan King back when the New Zealander looked certain to score.

Pinder was adding extra urgency to Warriors' play and another break deep into the 22 set up his side's second try. It took Parks' vision to switch play from right to left with a huge pass, then Barclay's directness, sucking in defenders to create the space for Swindall to be sent into the left.

A Parks penalty then gave the hosts a two-score cushion, apparently setting them up to push for the bonus point, but having played a huge part in his side's win, the stand-off made a strange decision to go for a drop goal as they again got within range.

It looked like the final opportunity had gone with that failed attempt. But after Thomson gathered loose ball midway inside the 22 in injury time, the pack piled in behind him and Kevin Tkachuk barreled over to seal the win and secure the bonus point win.

Glasgow Warriors R Lamont; H O'Hare, G Morrison, A Henderson, T Evans (C Gregor 28); D Parks, G Beveridge (S Pinder 47) (S Barrow 76); J Va'a (K Tkachuk 56), F Thomson, M Low, A Newman (D Turner 47), A Kellock, J Petrie (S Swindall 22), J Barclay, J Beattie
Llanelli Scarlets B Davies (M Stoddart 60); D James, R King, M Watkins (G Evans 60), D Daniel; C Thomas, L Davies (C Stuart-Smith 76); I Thomas, A Gravelle (M Rees 51), C Dunlea (D Manu 37), A Jones, S Macleod, I Afeaki (G Thomas 51), J Bater, D Jones
Referee P Fitzgibbon (Ire)

10:01pm today

This article was originally posted on 17-Feb-2007, 08:48 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 17-Feb-2007, 08:51.