Glasgow Warriors 40-17 Cardiff Rugby

On a night that saw the Warrior Nation raise £21,923.96 for Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, a brace from Johnny Matthews and scores from Kyle Steyn, Jack Dempsey, Patrick Schickerling and Kyle Rowe ensured that their side would continue their push for a home playoff ahead of the final round of the campaign.

With conditions making it a perfect evening for running rugby, it took until the end of a scrappy opening quarter for the Warriors to convert their early attacking intent into the opening score of the match. Slick handling in the back-line allowed Josh McKay and Steyn to free a rampaging Dempsey, the number eight charging to within five metres. Zander Fagerson would have powered over in the following phase were it not for the Cardiff scramble defence, but there was no denying Dempsey on his second carry as he crashed over for the try. Horne converted, and the home side led 7-0 with 18 minutes played.

A second try would quickly follow suit, the Glasgow back-line once again showing their quality with ball in hand. This time it was Steyn sent charging through the defensive line, the Glasgow skipper having too mich pace for the Cardiff defence as he sprinted home untouched from 40 metres. Horne made no mistake from the tee, and the hosts had a 14-0 lead.

Cardiff knew that a response was crucial, and it arrived with 26 minutes on the clock. Despite the East Stand appealing for obstruction in front of the Glasgow uprights, Josh Adams was the men sent over the whitewash by Johan Mulder, Callum Sheedy converting from straight in front of the posts to narrow the deficit.

The Warriors wasted no time in striking back, with a familiar source popping up with Glasgow’s third try of the night on the half-hour mark. Dan Lancaster’s floated ball over the top sent Steyn clear on the touchline, the visitors conceding a penalty at the breakdown as they looked to slow down the speed of ball. From the five-metre lineout that followed the result was almost inevitable, Matthews touching down in the corner for a score that – allied to Horne’s conversion from the touchline – gave his side a 21-7 lead.

Whilst the scoreline would remain unchanged by the time the half-time whistle sounded, there was no doubt that the Glasgow hunt for the attacking bonus-point was well and truly on. The crucial fourth try arrived with 54 minutes gone, in almost a carbon copy of the preceding score. A penalty dispatched to the corner by Lancaster provided the platform for the pack to get to work, Matthews emerging from the maul for his second – and Glasgow’s fourth – score of the evening. Horne converted, and the Warriors led 28-7.

Once more Cardiff rallied in response, finding a second score of their own as the game ticked towards the hour mark. Replacement prop Danny Southworth was the man to burrow over from close range, Sheedy’s conversion drifting wide to leave the scoreline reading 28-12 in favour of the home side.

Yet undeterred, the Glasgow attack went back to work almost immediately. Superb kick-chase pressure from Steyn and Rowe forced the concession of a lineout inside the Cardiff 22, before the forwards – marshalled by Horne – took over. Phase upon phase of possession five metres from the try-line eventually saw Schickerling drive over for the try in front of the East Stand. Horne was off target for the first time on the night, but the Glasgow lead now stood at 33-12 with 15 minutes remaining.

Glasgow were motoring now, and try number six arrived with seven minutes to play. Ben Afshar’s clever inside ball put Stafford McDowall through a gap, before swift work saw Sione Tuipulotu pop the ball to the onrushing Rowe. The winger duly shrugged off two attempted tackles to race under the posts for the score, Ollie Smith – off the bench at fly-half – converting for a 40-12 lead.

Jacob Beetham crossed with under a minute remaining to give Cardiff hope of an attacking bonus-point of their own, but the Glasgow defence ultimately held firm, Jare Oguntibeju amongst those tracking back with the clock in the red to deny the visitors. The Warrior Nation rose to acclaim their side as the final whistle blew, their side moving back to the top of the standings with one match remaining in the regular season.