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March 03, 2007

Newport Gwent Dragons 13 - 3 Glasgow Warriors

Celtic League match played at Rodney Parade on Friday March 2nd 2007 | One comment

A Dan Parks penalty gave Glasgow the lead
Newport Gwent Dragons grabbed a late victory on a horrible night for rugby as they leapfrogged Glasgow Warriors in the Magners League on Friday.

With a pitch that resembled a swimming pool, there was little chance of any flowing rugby as the ball resembled the proverbial bar of soap.

Warriors fly-half Dan Parks had the chance to put Glasgow ahead after only two minutes but missed a 40-metre penalty that dipped under the crossbar.

But the Dragons thought they had the first try of the night after 15 minutes as they won ruck ball near the visiting posts for prop forward Adam Black to catch the Scotsmen cold and dive over from five metres.

But Irish referee George Clancey called the move back for a scrum five, indicating that Black had knocked the ball in the motion of touching down despite the prop claiming otherwise.

Glasgow replied with a good kick downfield from Parks earning the Warriors territory. And, when the Dragons made an error 35 metres out, the number 10's lopsided penalty somehow crawled over to put the first points on the board.

Yet it took a sterling effort from Glasgow skipper Alastair Kellock and his men to keep the Dragons at bay until everyone retreated to the sanctuary of a dry changing room at half-time with the visitors 3-0 up.

A chance went begging after the break for Glasgow when Parks sent over a cross-kick to the corner which ran into touch in goal as wing Tom Evans chased in vain for the touchdown.

The Dragons beat a path back up field soon after and, when Glasgow went offside at a ruck under their posts, Wales international back Ceri Sweeney, at fly-half, booted the simplest of three points from a few yards out.

Glasgow did not help themselves either when, pinned down in their own 22, flanker John Beattie was sin-binned just after the hour for persistent offside in the loose.

The final surge, though, saw Sweeney hammer home a second penalty of the night as the final 10 minutes approached.

And, as they pressed heavily and Glasgow were finding it harder and harder to get out of their own half, the home side were rewarded when Sweeney cross-kicked towards the left corner for Wales wing Aled Brew to charge through the puddles and dive in to score.

Sweeney's conversion from the touchline was superb and was fittingly the last action of a match which was lucky not to have been called off.

Report from Sporting Life

Referee George Clancy (Ireland)
Attendance 4000
Team
1
Kevin Tkachuk
2
Fergus Thomson
3
Moray Low
4
Andy Newman
5
Alastair Kellock
6
Steve Swindall
7
John Barclay
8
John Beattie
9
Graeme Beveridge
10
Dan Parks
11
Thom Evans
12
Andrew Henderson
13
Graeme Morrison
14
Hefin O'Hare
15
Sean Marsden
Sub
Eric Milligan
Sub
Ben Prescott
Sub
Dan Turner
Sub
Donnie Macfadyen
Sub
Andy Wilson
Sub
Colin Gregor
Sub
Scott Barrow
Match Substitutions
Off On
Jon Petrie Andy Wilson
Off On
Fergus Thomson Eric Milligan
Off On
Andy Wilson Donnie Macfadyen
Scorers
Dan Parks Penalty
Comments
Posted by vicki on March 3, 2007 05:45 PM | Reply to this comment

Disgusting conditions - freezing cold mixed with torrential downpour, so it was never going to be a night of exciting running rugby. Colin Charvis was, nonetheless, outstanding, perhaps the difference between the two sides. Glasgow couldn't get out of their own half in second half, and their defence up until the last minute try had been impressive, given the conditions.

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