Glasgow Warriors 17-15 Scarlets

Glasgow Warriors dug deep in front of the Scotstoun faithful this evening, as Franco Smith’s men edged a 17-15 win over the Scarlets on their return to BKT United Rugby Championship action.

Johnny Matthews and Henco Venter touched down for tries in a hard-fought battle, a last-minute chargedown sealing the win for the Warriors to delight of the home faithful.

With both sides playing their first match in over a month, it was perhaps understandable that the opening exchanges proved scrappy. The visitors were the first to trouble the scorers, Ioan Lloyd making no mistake with a penalty from 35 metres to give his side the lead with seven minutes gone.

It would get even better for the Scarlets four minutes later, as Dwayne Peel’s men struck for the opening try of the night. A close-range maul proved too strong for the hosts, captain Josh Macleod dotting down for the score that – after Lloyd’s conversion struck the post – gave the Scarlets an eight-point advantage.

The Warriors were growing into the game, however, and came within a matter of inches of registering their own opening try. Good interplay between Tom Jordan and Stafford McDowall took play to within five metres, before only last-ditch defence from the visitors prevented Jare Oguntibeju from marking his debut with a score.

A first score was coming, though, and with four minutes to play in the half the Scotstoun crowd got what they were hoping for. With Alec Hepburn in the sin-bin for a high shot on Henco Venter and the Glasgow pack battering away at the try-line, it eventually fell to the familiar figure of Matthews to charge over from close-range in front of the East Stand. Duncan Weir – on for Adam Hastings after the fly-half suffered a head injury – added the extras, and the scoreline read 8-7 to the visitors as the half-time whistle sounded.

Restored to a full complement of players as the second-half got underway, the Scarlets struck back with a try of their own with 47 minutes on the clock. Phase upon phase of possession in the Glasgow 22 eventually saw Ioan Nicholas break the line and dive over, Lloyd converting for a 15-7 lead to the Welshmen.

Just 90 seconds later, the Warriors responded in kind. Matthews was again at the heart of the action, the hooker’s dart taking him within five metres. Oguntibeju was denied just short with the West Stand in full voice, but there was no stopping Venter from the close-range pick and go, Weir converting to make it a one-point ball-game once more.

Urged on by the Warrior Nation, Franco Smith’s men were now pushing at every opportunity, with Josh McKay and Kyle Rowe looking for work in the wide channels. A 50-22 from Ben Afshar had the Scotstoun faithful in full voice inside the final quarter, as the home side went in search of the lead for the first time in the match.

The lead would arrive with 15 minutes to play; with the Scarlets punished for an indiscretion at the breakdown, Weir took the chance to slot a straightforward penalty from 15 metres out to nudge his side in front, the hosts taking a 17-15 lead as the Warrior Nation called for more.

Back came the Scarlets once again, the visitors attacking with renewed determination as they sought to restore their advantage. With the East Stand at their back, though, Glasgow’s defence stood firm, Weir and Gregor Hiddleston combining to hold up Eddie James on their own five-metre line.

As the match entered the closing stages, the Glasgow young guns continued to come to the fore. A Jack Mann carry from the base of the scrum gave the Warriors valuable momentum, whilst Hiddleston and Oguntibeju made themselves a menace at the breakdown.

Still the Scarlets came forward, and with the clock ticking down, the men from west Wales came ever closer. Lloyd’s long-range penalty drifted wide of the uprights with 90 seconds to play, before a breakdown penalty with the clock in the red gave the visitors one final shot at victory. Yet almost a full two minutes later, the Warrior spirit was epitomised by Alex Samuel, George Horne and Tom Jordan – after 80 energy-sapping minutes – charging towards Lloyd’s attempted drop-goal, the ball ricocheting into the hands of Mann to allow Afshar to boot the ball into the main stand and cue the roar from the Warrior Nation.

A victory that showed every last drop of Glasgow resolve under the Friday night lights – Europe now takes centre stage, as Sale Sharks visit Scotstoun to open the 2024/25 Investec Champions Cup next weekend.