Magners League Table

Team
Pld
Pts
MunsterMunster522
OspreysOspreys519
ScarletsScarlets513
LeinsterLeinster512
Cardiff BluesBlues511
Glasgow WarriorsWarriors511
Newport Gwent DragonsDragons510
Connacht RugbyConnacht58
EdinburghEdinburgh58
Ulster RugbyUlster57
Gregor Kicks Glasgow To Much-Needed Victory
16 - 15
Firhill Arena   Att: 1,226
Friday 5th October 2007, 19:30
Glasgow Warriors marked their first game at Firhill since May 2006 with their first win of the new Magners League campaign as Connacht came a cropper in Friday's tight encounter.
Glasgow's Eric Milligan and James Eddie close in on Connacht flanker Johnny O'Connor
Glasgow's Eric Milligan and James Eddie close in on Connacht flanker Johnny O'Connor at Firhill
Following defeats at the hands of Cardiff and the Ospreys, Glasgow came good with fly-half Colin Gregor's 80th-minute penalty strike helping them come from behind against a dogged Connacht outfit.

Connacht trailed 10-6 at half-time but two successful penalties and a drop goal from Australian recruit Tim Donnelly had the Irish province in line for only their second league win since early March.

However, Gregor had other ideas and Glasgow opened their win account for the season ahead of next Friday's visit of Leinster.

Despite the win, Glasgow coach Sean Lineen will be far from happy with how unconvincing his side were. The error count was high as the hosts allowed Connacht to boss the early exchanges.

An offside decision allowed Donnelly kicked the visitors into a third-minute lead. Gregor replied eight minutes later and Connacht were down to 14 men when number eight Colm Rigney saw yellow for an off-the-ball tackle.

Some incisive running from the Glasgow backs helped the hosts make use of their one-man advantage - New Zealander Daryl Gibson darted through a gap to make good headway and he was involved again, linking with Bernardo Stortoni, to send Max Evans haring into the Connacht 22.

The surging attack had try written all over it but a great tackle from Connacht centre Mel Deane prevented Sam Pinder from grabbing a try for Glasgow.

Off the following phase though, the Scots did manage to cross the whitewash as Stortoni took the ball on before number eight John Beattie crashed over the line.

Gregor made it a seven-pointer and as Connacht came under further pressure, Glasgow were unfortunate not to nab a second try as the on-form Stortoni just marginally failed to find Pinder with what would have been a try-scoring pass.

Lineen's men continued to force the issue - Argentinian star Stortoni almost created a try for himself coming up to the break. He was kept out by some resolute Connacht defence and Michael Bradley's men picked off a late three points as Donnelly fired over a drop goal.

Gregor kicked Glasgow 13-6 clear just after the restart, only for Donnelly to respond and Connacht, to their credit, kept themselves in the hunt with some clever play and hard hits.

One moment summed up the visitors' determination to win - a superb try-saving tackle from winger Ofisa Treviranus denied Gregor and rallied his team-mates.

Donnelly cut the gap to a single point when he floated over a terrrific drop goal from all of 45 metres out, and that score set up a nervous finish for Glasgow.

Donnelly continued his fine kicking display as he whalloped a monster penalty through the uprights in the 70th-minute, but Gregor had the final say for the hosts - he snatched the victory for his side with only his fourth successful kick from eight attempts on the night - and Glasgow held on throughout the ten minutes of stoppage time.

Glasgow Warriors V Connacht Rugby
 PDCTPosPlayerPlayerPosTCDP 





FB
Bernardo Stortoni
15
Peter Durcan
FB










W
Max Evans
14
Ofisa Treviranus
W










C
Graeme Morrison
13
Mel Deane
C










C
Daryl Gibson
12
Aidan Wynne
C





Replacement off




W
Colin Shaw
11
Keith Matthews
W






3

1

FH
Colin Gregor
10
Tim Donnelly
FH


2
3

Replacement off




SH
Sam Pinder
9
Conor McPhillips
SH




Replacement off
Replacement off




P
Ed Kalman
1
Brett Wilkinson
P





Replacement off




H
Eric Milligan
2
Adrian Flavin
H




Replacement off





P
Moray Low
3
Ronan Loughney
P




Replacement off
Replacement off




L
Andy Newman
4
Michael Swift
L










L
Alastair Kellock
5
David Gannon
L










FL
Stevie Swindall
6
Mike McCarthy
FL




Replacement off





FL
James Eddie
7
Jonny O'Connor
FL









1
8
Johnnie Beattie
8
Colm Rigney
8




Yellow cardReplacement off
Replacements
Replacement on




rh
Pat MacArthur
16
John Fogarty
r




Replacement on
Replacement on




rp
Ben Prescott
17
Robbie Morris
rp




Replacement on
Replacement on




rl
Dan Turner
18
John Muldoon
r




Replacement on





-
Richie Vernon
19
Ray Ofisa Treviranus
r




Replacement on





-
Calum Forrester
20
Conor O'Loughlin
rsh




Replacement on
Replacement on




rsh
Scott Barrow
21
Danny Riordan
-





Replacement on




rw
Hefin O'Hare
22
Alipate Tuilevuka
-





Penalty Tries
0
0
First half timeline
1Connacht Rugby
Substitution - R Morris on for R Loughney
3Connacht Rugby
Penalty kick - T Donnelly
11Glasgow Warriors
Penalty kick - C Gregor
19Connacht Rugby
Yellow card - C Rigney
27Glasgow Warriors
Try - J Beattie
27Glasgow Warriors
Conversion - C Gregor
40 +3Connacht Rugby
Drop kick - T Donnelly
Second half timeline
43Glasgow Warriors
Penalty kick - C Gregor
53Connacht Rugby
Penalty kick - T Donnelly
53Glasgow Warriors
Substitution - H O'Hare on for C Shaw
59Connacht Rugby
Drop kick - T Donnelly
66Glasgow Warriors
Substitution - S Barrow on for S Pinder
70Connacht Rugby
Penalty kick - T Donnelly
70Glasgow Warriors
Substitution - P MacArthur on for E Milligan
70Glasgow Warriors
Substitution - B Prescott on for E Kalman
73Connacht Rugby
Substitution - C O'Loughlin on for C McPhillips
79Connacht Rugby
Substitution - J Fogarty on for A Flavin
80Glasgow Warriors
Penalty kick - C Gregor
80Glasgow Warriors
Substitution - D Turner on for A Newman
All Pictures: ©  http://www.inpho.ie/, Huw Evans Agency,  Graham Stuart
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