Glasgow see off Ulster
by Setantasports.com Staff, 03 May 2008
Glasgow Warriors completed a home-and-away double over Ulster in this year’s Magners League with a 35-24 victory over the province at Ravenhill on Saturday afternoon.
In a dramatic, topsy-turvy encounter, the visitors struck first, through Lome Fa’atau, only to see Ulster hit back with tries from Isaac Boss and Roger Wilson to move in front.
Glasgow replied through John Beattie on the half hour and then extended their advantage shortly after the interval when Max Evans blazed through to score.
The sin-binning of Moray Low turned the game back in Ulster’s favour, with the hosts scoring two tries, through Simon Danielli and Tommy Bowe, while the prop was in the sin bin.
However, Dan Parks put the Warriors back in front with a penalty just before Low returned to the field and the Scotland fly-half then created a try for Thom Evans before nailing a late penalty to seal a fine win for The Warriors.
With their place in next season’s Heineken Cup assured, Ulster had little but pride to play for and, perhaps unsurprisingly, they began in somewhat lackadaisical fashion, as if only concerned with enjoying the sunshine on this fine Belfast afternoon.
However, Glasgow, who knew a victory would give them a chance of finishing above Scottish rivals Edinburgh in the table, were in a far more determined mood early doors and they capitalised on Ulster’s indifference, racing into a 10-point lead after just ten minutes of play.
Fa’atau got the visitors off the mark, the Fijian winger grabbing a superb breakaway try with just six minutes on the clock.
Parks converted with aplomb and then landed a fine penalty to put Glasgow into double figures.
The Ravenhill faithful, who had been treated to a stirring midweek win over Munster, were shell-shocked.
However, the concession of ten points roused Ulster from their slumber and they promptly but patiently set about working their way into the game.
Indeed, their was an impressive air of calm and self-belief about Ulster and, when presented with an opportunity to reduce their arrears after being awarded a kickable penalty, Paddy Wallace was instructed to boot the ball into touch than go for goal.
The gamble paid off, too, with the ever-alert Boss sniping through a gap to score after some impressively work from the forwards.
Wallace added the extras and there were just three points between the sides.
Ulster were awarded another penalty soon after but again, so sure were they of their superiority up front, particularly at the breakdown, that Wallace again opted to kick to touch.
And again it proved the correct choice, with Ferris, through a neat side-step, creating sufficient time and space for himself to reach out and place the ball over the Glasgow line.
Wallace was off-target with the conversion attempt this time around but it appeared that Ulster, after a horribly sluggish start, were now in complete command.
However, they switched off again just before the half mark and Glasgow punished them ruthlessly once more, with Graeme Morrison racing through a disturbingly big hole in the middle of the Ulster line before putting the supporting Beattie in for a simple finish.
Parks could not convert but Glasgow, after being completely outplayed for the preceding 20 minutes were now back in front.
The Scots took their three-point advantage into the break with them, meaning that after playing into a strong wind for the opening 40 minutes, they were now in a very advantageous position.
It was to get even better for Sean Lineen’s men three minutes after the interval. A desperately poor kick from Boss handed possession and the initiative to Glasgow and, unsurprisingly, they used both to great effect, engineering a try for Max Evans, who had taken a great line.
It was a disastrous score, though, from Ulster’s perspective; they had effectively gifted their opponents a try for the third time in the match.
For the second time in the game, Ulster were facing a ten-point deficit but again they responded superbly.
Of course, the sin-binning of Low, who was sent to the bin for deliberately pulling down an Ulster maul, played an key role in the comeback.
Low had only just seen yellow when some good work from Boss created an overlap out wide which resulted in Danielli diving over.
Moments later, Bowe pounced on a clever punt forward from Boss before racing fully 55 metres down the touch-line to score a terrific try which underlined his blistering pace and beautiful balance.
Wallace nailed the resulting conversion attempt from way out wide and Ulster were two points to the good.
The game appeared there for the taking for Ulster but, just seconds after the restart, they conceded a penalty which was expertly dispatched by the impressive Parks.
It was advantage Glasgow once more and they killed the game off in predictably clinical fashion.
Parks, who kicked superbly throughout, both off the ground and out of hand, played an integral role in the game’s decisive try, launching a fine lob in behind the Ulster defence which led directly to Beattie releasing Thom Evans to score in the corner.
Parks, crucially, added the extras and then put the game beyond Ulster with a late penalty.
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Ulster v Glasgow
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