Connacht let another win slip their grasp

Rugby Celtic League: Connacht - 28 Glasgow - 28 Two successive games for the taking, and two common threads. After their previous week's loss to Cardiff, Connacht spurned another opportunity to extract full points from their latest Celtic League joust despite a dominating display.

Yet on both occasions they came up against opposition that could well have been expected to force to capitulate, but for the motivation of European Cup qualification.

"Two games we should have won, and we will have to learn the lessons from it," said Connacht coach Michael Bradley. "We are getting to the stage in the season where the jostle for positions is a serious issue for everyone but the Irish provinces. It is a bone of contention."

With Wales and Scotland using the Celtic League as a domestic competition for European qualification, last week Cardiff were able to stretch their lead over fellow strugglers the Ospreys, who then surprised Munster in Musgrave Park. Glasgow's draw with Connacht ensured they joined the Borders in the Scottish struggle.

Certainly Glasgow never relented despite what appeared to be an unrecoverable 25-9 half-time lead established by Connacht at the Galway Sportsground on Saturday. They matched Connacht's three first-half tries and in the end Connacht were relieved to get a share of the spoils.

The game looked done and dusted at half-time as Connacht established a stranglehold. In their first real assault, Eric Elwood's half-break sent left wing Conor McPhillips through. Eight minutes later lock Mick McCarthy broke two tackles before finding McPhillips, who notched his second try and his ninth of the Celtic League campaign.

Bernard Jackman provided the impetus for the next and nifty hands from Shane Moore and Darren Yapp sent full back Mark McHugh through. Elwood's two conversions and two penalties helped the home side to a 25-point tally by the break.

Outhalf Calvin Howarth had kept Glasgow on the scoreboard with three penalties, but it was his replacement, Dan Parks, who was the key to their revival. On 53 minutes he sent left wing Sean Lamont through in the corner, and five minutes later his counterattack provided the platform for full back Glen Metcalfe to claim the second.

Conor McPhillips looked certain of a third but lost the ball a yard from the line, and despite a series of assaults, Elwood opted to stretch the lead to seven with a 74th-minute penalty.

It was not enough as Glasgow's backs, led by Parks and Metcalfe, always looked dangerous, and although Alan Bulloch sauntered in for a soft try on 77 minutes, it was enough to deny Connacht a couple of places on the league ladder.

Connacht had the opportunity to win it, but against the wind McHugh's drop goal effort on 81 minutes bounced just short.

Scoring sequence: 3 mins: Howarth penalty 0-3; 15: McPhillips try, Elwood conversion 7-3; 22: Howarth penalty 7-6; 23: McPhillips try 12-6; 27: Howarth penalty 12-9; 33: Elwood penalty 15-9; 36: McHugh try, Elwood conversion 22-9; 40: Elwood penalty 25-9; Half-time; 53: Lamont try, 25-14; 58: Metcalfe try, Parks conversion 25-21; 74: Elwood penalty 28-21; 77: Bulloch try, Parks conversion 28-28.

CONNACHT: M McHugh; M Mostyn, D Yapp, S Moore, C McPhillips; E Elwood, C O'Loughlin; D McFarland, B Jackman, A Clarke, M McCarthy, A Farley, P Neville, T Carter, J O'Sullivan. Replacements: T Robinson for Mostyn (30 mins); M Walls for O'Loughlin (59 mins); D Browne for Neville (65 mins); T Hewitt for Robinson (76 mins); M Swift for McCarthy (82 mins); J Fogarty for McPhillips (83 mins).

GLASGOW: G Metcalfe; R Kerr, G Morrison, A Bulloch, S Lamont; G Howarth, G Beveridge; E Murray, S Lawson, A Kelly, J Beardshaw, N Ross, P Dearlove, D MacFadyen, J Petrie. Replacements: R Reid for Dearlove (23 mins); A Hall for Beardshaw (36 mins), D Parkes for Howarth (50 mins); S Pinder for Beveridge (69 mins). Sin-bin: Glasgow: E Murray 40 mins.

Referee: H Watkins (Wales).