Glasgow triumph over Ospreys at Firhill

Glasgow Warriors 9 Ospreys 6

Glasgow kickstarted their Magners League campaign with a well-merited triumph over the champions at windy Firhill.

Dan Parks was the home hero after he gleefully rammed over the clinching penalty nine minutes from the end.

Glasgow looked the hungrier outfit during the jittery opening exchanges and their early effort was rewarded after just three minutes.

The Ospreys were guilty of handling on the deck – leaving Parks to stroke over a straight penalty from 20 metres.

The hosts continued to hold the upper hand, but without really looking like breaking through.

And they were rocked back on their heels when Ospreys seized the initiative thanks to two Shaun Connor penalties in quick succession midway through the half.

Unsurprisingly in the stormy conditions, open and fast action was at a premium, however Glasgow put together their most threatening sequence in the build-up to the interval.

Prop Moray Low used his strength and awareness to secure turnover ball close to the halfway line.

Daryl Gibson deftly prodded it into enemy territory where Graeme Morrison put the Ospreys backmarkers in a panic by hacking it toward the try-zone.

Connor was left with no option but to hoof the ball out of play, handing the Warriors a five-metre scrum.

However the anticipation turned to frustration when the referee Jonathan Kaplan spotted a mystery infringement.

The home troops then set up another surge, but Lome Fa’atau was unable to fasten onto a pass from Sam Pinder.

Glasgow were hit by two more setbacks immediately after the restart.

First, Parks sent a long-range penalty narrowly wide – then skipper Ally Kellock was forced off with a knee problem.

Parks was handed an opportunity to rediscover his accurate touch with another 45-metre potshot at goal, and this time his effort was straight and true as he levelled the encounter.

Even better was to come from Parks as he drilled home his third penalty - making light of the swirling breeze.

Ospreys piled on the pressure in the dying seconds, but the Warriors clung on grimly for a morale-boosting victory.