Ulster back in form with crushing win over Glasgow

Ulster 33 Glasgow 6

Despite missing 10 of their starting line-up, Ulster were just too strong for their Scottish visitors who failed to cross the Ulster line.

Unfortunately Ulster were not able to boost their points total when they only managed three tries despite holding tremendous territorial advantage.

Ulster’s emergency fly-half Adam Larkin performed his usual solid game in the number 10 jersey in directing operations and he ended up with 18 points with a powerful right boot.

Playing against a stiffish breeze Ulster went in at the break deservedly 17-6 to the good. They had squeezed ahead after six minutes when scrum- half Kieran Campbell burst upfield

into the Glasgow 22 before feeding lock Rowan Frost who raced under the posts for his first try for his adopted province. Larkin again converted.

Glasgow finally got on the board in the 27th minute when, after another bout of pressure on the Ulster line, full-back Stuart Moffat popped over a dropped goal.

Soon after Larkin and then Glasgow fly-half Calvin Howarth swapped penalties and Ulster ended a scrappy half on a high. They eventually won some decent line-out when the ball was thrown long to Tony McWhirter and after a concerted drive the big number eight emerged with the ball over the line for his side’s second try which Larkin again converted.

The stand-in fly-half had two chances to push Ulster further ahead immediately on the restart. He missed one, but drifted the other between the sticks.

Ulster pushed home their advantage in the 51st minute with Larkin’s third penalty after good work by the pack. But still their try count was not improving despite totally outplaying their opponents.

Ulster did get a third try three minutes from time with some exquisite interchanging between backs and

forwards before Shane Stewart took a flip pass from skipper Andy Ward, to dance in under the posts for Larkin to score again convert.

Despite besieging the Glasgow line, they were not able to grab that vital bonus point. But a victory will do in the meantime.

Ulster: B Cunningham; J Topping; R Constable, S Stewart, S Young; A Larkin, K Campbell; R McCormack, M Sexton, R Moore, M Mustchin, R Frost, A Ward, capt, N McMillan, T McWhirter. Replacements: S Mallon for Constable (23).

Glasgow: S Moffat; J Steel; G Morrison, J Naufahu, R Kerr; C Howarth, K Sinclair; E Murray, S Gunn, M Proudfoot, A Hall, N Ross, C Mather, capt, D Mcfadyen, R Reid. Replacements: S Lawson for Gunn (62), L Harrison for Proudfoot (42), G Beveridge for Sinclair (65), A Bulloch for Naufahu (33), S Lamont for Kerr (40).

Referee: Nigel Whitehouse (WRU).