Glasgow Warriors 34-20 Connacht

Glasgow (24) 32
Tries: M Evans, Beattie, T Evans 2 Pens: Parks 2
Connacht (12) 20
Try: Carr Pens: Keatley 4 Drop-goals: Keatley

Max Evans capped his first start since May with a try as Warriors made heavy weather of recording a Magners League victory over Connacht.

Evans's brother Thom ran in two tries for the hosts, with the boot of Dan Parks helping to lift Sean Lineen's side to third in the table.

Winger Fionn Carr scored the only try of the game for the visitors.

Four penalties and a drop-goal from Ian Keatley failed to help Connacht avoid defeat in a hard-fought encounter.

Max Evans returned to the Warriors side after recovering from a knee injury, as the hosts bounced back from successive Heineken Cup defeats against Biarritz and Newport Gwent Dragons.

And he got Warriors off to the perfect start within two minutes after profiting from good work by brother Thom and Dan Parks to go over.

Parks converted to give Lineen's side some early momentum.

The visitors responded strongly and Keatley reduced the deficit with a clever drop goal, only for Parks to hit back with a penalty.

Connacht were thankful for the boot of Keatley to narrow the gap with a penalty but Glasgow number eight John Beattie ran in Warriors' second try of the evening with Parks converting.

Warriors then upped their game and good work by Richie Gray and Moray Low took them deep into Connacht territory. Thom Evans surged through Gavin Duffy's tackle for a try to put the hosts further ahead.

Two Keatley penalties saw Connacht retain hope of taking something from the game going into the break.

The second half failed to match the first as a spectacle, with Keatley and Parks trading penalties in a scrappy period of the game.

Frank Murphy's interception and quick thinking enabled Fionn Carr to go over for Connacht's only try seven minutes from time.

Keatley missed the conversion and Thom Evans eased Glasgow nerves when he collected Mark McMillan's chip for his second try to seal victory.

Glasgow: Stortoni, Shaw, M. Evans, Morrison, T. Evans, Parks, Cuister, Welsh, Hall, Low, Gray, Kellock, Brown, Beattie, Barclay.
Replacements: Gregor for Parks (73), McMillan for Cuister (65), Tkachuk for Welsh (58), Turner for Gray (55), Vernon for Beattie (55). Not Used: McArthur, O'Hare.

Connacht: Duffy, Nathan, Ta'auso, Matthews, Carr, Keatley, F. Murphy, Wilkinson, Cronin, Hagan, Swift, Upton, McCarthy, Muldoon, O'Connor.
Replacements: Morris for Wilkinson (23), Browne for Swift (41), Ofisa for O'Connor (58). Not Used: Flavin, O'Loughlin, Nikora, O'Halloran.

Att: 4,887

Ref: Tim Hayes

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