Glasgow 31 Ospreys 23:GLASGOW ENDED a four-match losing streak in the Magners League as a strong second-half performance saw them defeat the star-studded Ospreys at Firhill yesterday.
The Welsh visitors led 16-11 at half-time after two tries from Scotland wing Nikki Walker and two penalties from Dan Biggar. Richie Gray crossed for the hosts with Ruaridh Jackson adding two penalties.
But the Warriors stepped it up after the break as Richie Vernon and Kevin Tkachuk claimed tries to give them breathing space, before Walker completed his hat-trick late on as the Ospreys missed out on a losing bonus point.
It looked as though Glasgow were going to be on the wrong end of a serious hammering in the early stages as nothing went right for the home side, from woeful handling to non-existent tackling.
Biggar had the Ospreys on the board after only three minutes after a Glasgow move had gone askew, and three minutes later came a try which was nothing short of embarrassing as Jerry Collins and Lee Byrne put Walker away but even the wing could not have expected such a powder puff tackle from Rob Dewey as he bolted over the line.
Into the second half it was the Ospreys who looked uncomfortable and Glasgow’s confidence grew after a sparkling handling move which almost saw Alastair Muldowney over in the corner.
Biggar had the chance to stretch the Ospreys lead but his missed kick was one of the few mistakes the young outhalf made as he controlled a game in which more experienced heads around him were in panic.
Jackson missed the chance to give Glasgow the lead after a great run by Vernon but a couple of minutes later his replacement Duncan Weir banged over the kick which took the home side ahead.
It was all Glasgow now, and when Barclay pinched the ball from the base of an Ospreys scrum he almost made the line, and nothing was going to stop Vernon crashing over off Gregor’s pass.
Glasgow kept a stranglehold on the last 10 minutes and when Ed Kalman combined with Tkachuk for his fellow prop to score it slammed the door on the Ospreys, although Walker did go over for his hat-trick try in injury time.
GLASGOW: Stortoni; Shaw, M Evans, Morrison, Dewey; Jackson, Gregor; Welsh, Hall, Low, Gray, Muldowney, Harley, Barclay, Vernon. Replacements: Horne for Dewey (49), Weir for Jackson (61), Tkachuk for Welsh (77), Thomson for Hall (36), Kalman for Low (41), Forrester for Muldowney (57), Ryder for Harley (64). Not used: Pyrgos.
OSPREYS: Byrne; N Walker, Bowe, Hook, Fussell; Biggar, M Phillips; James, Bennett, A Jones, Gough, Evans, Collins, Tipuric, R Jones. Replacements: Prydie for Byrne (13), Nutbrown for M Phillips (60), Bevington for James, Mitchell for A Jones (both 41), M Davies for Bennett, Holah for Tipuric (both 52), Goode for Gough (77), Parker for Prydie (64).
Referee: David Wilkinson (Ireland).
