Ospreys 6-47 Glasgow: Warriors thrash Welshmen at Liberty Stadium
Last Updated: 26/11/17 4:51pm
Under-strength Glasgow blitzed Ospreys by seven tries to nil to further secure their lead at the top of the Guinness PRO14's Conference A with a bonus-point victory at the Liberty Stadium.
The 47-6 away success contained tries from scrum-half George Horne (2), fly-half Adam Hastings - who also kicked six conversions - second row Scott Cummings, hooker George Turner and replacements Brandon Thomson and Leonardo Sarto. Fly-half Sam Davies kicked two penalties for the bottom club.
Unbeaten Glasgow were minus 14 players on international duty, meaning they gave two players - Italian No 8 Samuela Vunisa and lock Kiran McDonald - playing debuts.
Ospreys were also without 10 internationals but were still able to field six Wales players, including captain Paul James, and had another four on the bench.
A positive Ospreys start was rewarded with a third-minute penalty from Davies 25 metres out, which the outside-half slotted between the uprights.
Glasgow looked for an immediate response and were awarded a penalty 30 metres from the home line and chose to kick to the corner - but they knocked on at a maul, allowing Ospreys to clear.
Ospreys went close to scoring a brilliant try with a sweeping move that was triggered by No 10 Davies with a one-handed pass and ended with wing Hanno Dirksen just being denied a try after being stopped two metres short.
After such a frantic start it was no surprise a try came when 21-year-old Hastings, son of Scotland legend Gavin, made the most of a couple of missed tackles to go over. He also converted to give the visitors a 7-3 lead in the 14th minute.
Ospreys had an immediate chance to respond with a penalty from the restart but Davies' kick hit the upright and it did not get any better for the home side when captain James limped off, to be replaced by Gareth Thomas.
Despite some brave tackling by Tom Habberfield and Olly Cracknell, continuous Glasgow pressure paid dividends as scrum-half Horne went over from close range with Hastings adding the extras. It was 14-3 in the 27th minute.
Three minutes later Davies found the target with a penalty after Glasgow were caught crossing in their 22, reducing the lead to eight points.
But any further response from Ospreys failed to come before the break as they struggled with their ball retention.
It took Glasgow only five minutes of the second half to move further clear and seal the bonus point - their third and fourth tries came on 42 and 45 minutes.
Second row Cummings went over after a Hastings kick caused confusion in the Ospreys defence, giving Glasgow a 19-6 lead after Hastings failed with the extras. Then Turner touched down to secure the bonus point three minutes later, with Hastings converting.
Glasgow's fifth try, in the 55th minute, was Horne's second and came from wing Lelia Masaga. Hastings converted. The result was never in doubt from that moment but in the final three minutes Thomson and Sarto scored interception tries.
