But they failed to claim the crucial bonus point and were forced to survive a late rally by a Blues side reduced to 13 men. To complete the Welsh team's misery, former Test star Craig Quinnell was sent off in the dying seconds for stamping.

Hugh Campbell's side could not have dreamed of a better start to their competitive season as they created a sizzling try after just six minutes. Graeme Morrison and skipper Cammy Mather each tested the Blues defence before winger Gareth Macluire skipped over in the wake of fine work by Rory Kerr. Calvin Howarth was unlucky to see his wide-angled conversion bounce back off the post.

Nicky Robinson replied with a penalty but Howarth snuffed out his effort with an opportunist drop-goal from midfield. The kicking duel continued as Howarth slotted a close-range penalty at the other end to again restore the five-point gap. However, the sequence was broken when Robinson was wide with two efforts in quick succession.

Glasgow surged back into attack after the restart to snatch a second try. Alert scrum-half Sam Pinder dashed in to charge down a Don van Vuuren clearance, scooped up the loose ball and plunged over. Howarth slotted the conversion from wide on the left to open up a 12-point cushion.

Rattled Cardiff mounted a series of raids, but they found the home defence in solid form. And their plight deepened when prop Euan Murray twisted over at the end of a pack-drive.

Glasgow suffered a dose of the jitters when Cardiff, reduced to 14 with the sin-binning of Dan Baugh, hit back with a Nick Macleod touchdown goaled by Robinson.

Substitute Ben Evans was next to be yellow-carded for thumping Murray - then came Quinnell's dismissal.