Parks was in fine form for Glasgow at Firhill
Glasgow 17 (11)
Tries: Parks
Pens: Parks 3
Drop-goal: Parks
Blues 5 (5)
Tries: Williams


Scotland fly-half Dan Parks scored all the points as Glasgow proved too strong for a weakened Blues side.

Parks broke the deadlock with a try after seven minutes with a breakaway run from 60 metres.

Top-of-the-table Blues replied when Rhys Williams skidded through for a fine opportunist touchdown.

But the visitors fell away and Parks added three penalties and a drop-goal, while Sam Pinder was denied a late try for a contentious knock-on.

On a freezing cold night at Firhill, Glasgow made the perfect start, with Parks plucking the ball out of the air and cruising over for an early score.

Parks missed the conversion but added a penalty soon after.

The Welsh visitors responded with a try from veteran winger Williams but Parks hit back almost immediately with his second successful penalty.

Glasgow stepped up the pace after the restart and they went within a fingertip of stretching their advantage.

Scrum-half Chris O'Young left the visiting markers stranded with a beautifully weighted chip but Hefin O'Hare was narrowly beaten by Gareth Thomas for the vital first touch.

Warriors, with Johnny Beattie and Moray Low looking particularly impressive, kept up the pressure.

And they were rewarded again via the trusty boot of Parks, who claimed penalty number three from close range.

And just four minutes later, Parks completed his full-house of scores as he coolly slotted a drop-goal.

Pinder appeared to have pounced for a last-gasp try for the Warriors, but referee Alan Lewis had seen a knock-on that no-one else spotted.

This article was posted on 23-Nov-2007, 21:51 by Hugh Barrow.