Magners League: Dragons 23-11 Glasgow

Dragons (23) 23
Tries: Sowden-Taylor, A Brew. Cons: M Jones. Pens: Tovey, M Jones 2.
Glasgow (3) 11
Tries: Gray. Pens: Jackson 2.

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Dragons wing Aled Brew outstrips the Glasgow defence

Newport Gwent Dragons put last week's opening defeat behind them with a comfortable win over visiting Glasgow.

The Welsh side bossed the first half with Robin Sowden-Taylor and Aled Brew both forcing their way over for tries.

Glasgow trailed 23-3 at half-time but improved after the break, with Richie Gray going over after a fine break from number eight Richie Vernon.

Ruaridh Jackson also added a monstrous penalty to his first-half kick, but the Dragons had too great a lead to defend.

But the win came at a cost for the Welsh side as inspirational fly-half Jason Tovey, who booted the opening penalty of the day, was forced off after only eight minutes with a hamstring problem.

Glasgow counterpart Jackson levelled the match with his opening penalty but, from there, the Dragons were in charge.

Tovey's replacement Matthew Jones kicked two penalties and converted both of the home tries.

The first came via a great rolling maul from an attacking line-out in the Glasgow 22 that saw flanker Sowden-Taylor touch down under a pile of bodies.

And, after another good move down the left wing into the Glasgow 22, a short pass from a ruck saw wing Brew jump past two tacklers from short range to score.

It did not help Glasgow's cause either that lock Tom Ryder was sent to the sin-bin on 27 minutes for killing the ball at a ruck.

The Dragons almost took advantage of that extra man when flanker Dan Lydiate saw a gap and sprinted through to within sight of the Glasgow line.

The ball was recycled but, with another try begging, Jones' cross-kick was just too strong for an unmarked Brew to get before it went dead.

It did not seem like the same Warriors team which got past Irish province Leinster by three points at Firhill nine days ago, although number eight Vernon looked lively and the pick of the bunch.

It was Vernon who set Glasgow back on the upward curve when he ran 25 metres towards the home line before giving lock Gray, on his shoulder, an inside pass to cross.

Glasgow continued to increase the pace of their game and put the Welsh side under the cosh.

Jackson pointed towards the posts from five metres inside his own half to fire over a huge penalty, although Glasgow coach Sean Lineen then opted to replace the fly-half as soon as the ball had landed.

Nevertheless, with 20 minutes left and 12 points adrift, Glasgow had given themselves a slim chance of winning.

But that all but went as wing DTH van der Merwe was sin-binned with 13 minutes to go for aiming a punch towards Brew as some simmering niggle erupted.

Glasgow did not get close again and the Welsh support in the 5,028-strong crowd went home satisfied.

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Dragons: Matt Evans; Will Harries, Tom Riley, Pat Leach, Aled Brew; Jason Tovey, Wayne Evans; Hugh Gustafson, Steve Jones, Nigel Hall, Luke Charteris (capt), Scott Morgan, Dan Lydiate, Robin Sowden-Taylor, Gavin Thomas.
Replacements: Lloyd Burns S. Jones (40), Pat Palmer for Hall (63), Ali McKenzie for Gustafson (77), Robert Sidoli for Charteris (60), Lewis Evans, Matthew Pewtner, Nicky Griffiths W. Evans (77), Matthew Jones for Tovey (7).

Glasgow: Bernardo Stortoni (capt); DTH van der Merwe, Max Evans, Graeme Morrison, Federico Aramburu; Ruaridh Jackson, Henry Pyrgos; Jon Welsh, Fergus Thomson, Ed Kalman, Tom Ryder, Richie Gray, Chauncey O'Toole, Calum Forrester, Richie Vernon.
Replacements: Pat MacArthur, Ryan Grant for Welsh (66), Moray Low for Kalman (40), Aly Muldowney, Rob Harley for O'Toole (32), Duncan Weir for Jackson (65), Colin Gregor for Pyrgos (40), Hefin O'Hare.

Att: 5,028

Referee: Carlo Damasco (Italy).