Glasgow scrape late Connacht draw
Saturday March 06 2010
Glasgow missed their chance to move back to the top of the Magners League but fought back valiantly to claim a 19-19 draw with Connacht at the Sportsground.
An injury-time try from flanker James Eddie saw the Warriors dash Connacht's hopes of a much-needed win and, although replacement Colin Gregor flashed his touchline conversion wide of the uprights, Glasgow were still the happier side at the final whistle.
Leading 14-3 thanks to three Ruaridh Jackson penalties and a try from DTH van der Merwe, Glasgow looked set to take the spoils. However, bottom side Connacht engineered a tremendous fightback, with Ian Keatley kicking two penalties and converting a slick solo try from Gavin Duffy.
Keatley's fourth successful penalty, three minutes from time and with Glasgow's Calum Forrester in the sin-bin, looked to be the match-winning score, but Eddie had other ideas and he scrambled over in the left corner, with the grounding confirmed by TMO Dermot Moloney.
Connacht showed their intent early on with a barnstorming run from George Naoupu, but Glasgow were first off the mark after 12 minutes when Connacht prop Brett Wilkinson was pinged for a ruck and Jackson nailed a kick from a central position.
Glasgow went on to put 11 points between the sides in the 48th minute, but a try went unconverted and Michael Bradley's men managed to play their way back into contention, before Keatley's late penalty looked to have secured the win.
However, 14-man Glasgow upped the tempo before Eddie grabbed the late draw.
