Connacht fail to recover from early onslaught

Glasgow 30 Connacht 15A struggling Connacht failed to resurrect their Celtic League campaign when outplayed last night by a Glasgow outfit smarting from their run of poor form.

The home outfit had just about done enough in the opening period, taking a 16-3 lead, and the scoreline reflected the possession and the territorial control. Connacht had hoped for a better performance against a Glasgow side that had their only win against Munster in September.

Glasgow made all the early running and deserved their 13-3 lead. They ran the ball through several phases to their 22nd-minute try. Outhalf Colin Gregor made no mistake in the fourth minute when Connacht were forced offside, and again in the 13th minute.

Connacht gave the ball away all too easily, despite a lineout which functioned effectively and a solid scrum. Their return for three attacks inside the Glasgow 22 was three points from outhalf Paul Warwick in the 20th minute.

However, when Warwick's drop out from a 22 went straight into touch, John Beattie controlled the ball from the scrum, fed scrumhalf Graeme Beveridge who found the gap. He passed overhead to fullback Graydon Staniforth who crossed for the try. Gregor converted and added a third penalty just before the break.

Connacht's return from their third foray into the Warriors' 22 was a penalty which Warwick posted wide.

Connacht picked up the tempo in the second half, but were always on the back foot. When the ball squirted out of the scrum just yards from their line and replacement Conor O'Loughlin failed to control, the Warriors were again on the attack with lock Dan Turner charging over.

Connacht did get the score they were looking for shortly after when captain Andrew Farley got the touchdown after Colm Rigney's lineout catch and drive. Had O'Loughlin avoided a knock-on inches from the line Connacht would have come right back into contention. Instead a turnover in their own 22 provided Glasgow with a soft try as outhalf Gregor waltzed through for a third try.

McPhillips followed suit with his own 60-metre dash for a try on 80 minutes but it was an unconvincing performance from Connacht.

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4 mins: Gregor penalty 3- 0; 13: Gregor penalty 6-0; 20: Warwick penalty 6-3; 22: Staniforth try, Gregor conversion 13-3; 40+1: Gregor penalty 16-3. Half-time 16-3. 62: Turner try, Gregor conversion 23-3; 66: Farley try, Warwick conversion 23-10; 75: Gregor try & conversion, 30-10; 80: McPhillips try 30-15.

GLASGOW: G Staniforth, H O'Hare, G Morrison, S Barrow, C Shaw, C Gregor, G Beveridge (capt), K Tkachuk, S Lawson, L Harrison, T Barker, D Turner, P Dearlove, J Barclay, J Beattie. Replacements: F Thomson for Lawson, G Hayter for Dearlove (both 52 mins), S Pinder for Beveridge (57 mins), S Swindall for Beattie (73 mins), E McLaughlin for Shaw (78 mins).

CONNACHT: M Mostyn; C McPhillips, D Yapp, K Matthews, T Robinson; P Warwick, C Keane; D McFarland, J Fogarty, S Knoop; C Short, A Farley (cpt); J Muldoon, B O'Connor, C Rigney. Replacements: J Merrigan for Fogarty, M Swift for O'Connor (both half-time), C O'Loughlin for Keane, R Loughney for McFarland (both 59 mins), D Riordan for Matthews (61 mins), D Gannon for Rigney (72 mins).

Referee: Tim Hayes (WRU).