WILSON RETURNS TO HAUNT BLUES
EX-CARDIFF Blues coach Danny Wilson put one over on his former charges as Glasgow came out on top at a murky Rodney Parade. It was a deserved victory for Wilson’s team, who had the lion’s share of possession and territory and generally controlled the match.
On the rare occasions when the Blues did get deep into the opposition half, they tended to turn the ball over in the face of aggressive defence, apart from one well-worked try from skipper Kristian Dacey.
That Dacey score put them ahead early in the second half, but Glasgow reasserted themselves and edged in front through a couple of penalties before Huw Jones sealed the spoils with an interception.
It’s now nine successive wins in all competitions for the Scottish side over the Blues.
They turned around with a narrow, but deserved. 6-3 lead, through two penalties from No.10 Peter Horne to one from his opposite number Jarrod Evans.
Not for the first time this season, it was a story of the Blues spending much of the time in defence, as they made 71 tackles to 37 from Glasgow.
However, it was actually the hosts who were the team to cross the whitewash in the opening period with winger Owen Lane producing a great finish as he followed up a wellplaced box kick from Tomos Williams to pluck the ball out of the air and touch down.
But, after checking the replays, referee Frank Murphy ruled there had been a knock on from Gwilym Bradley in the build-up as the young flanker secured a turnover by ripping the ball away from Lewis Bean, having put in a big hit on the second row.
They were not to be denied a try though five minutes into the second half and it was a real cracker.
The dangerous Lane set things in motion down the right, winning the race to a kick ahead and managing to hold onto the ball as he stooped and stumbled.
With possession retained and recycled, the ball was then spun left, with long passes from Tomos Williams, Jarrod Evans and Matthew Morgan releasing Aled Summerhill.
The winger kept the move alive by throwing a pass inside just as he was about to go into touch, and skipper Dacey was on hand to pick up on the bounce and bulldoze over.
It was a 28th career try for the Blues from Dacey, which is some return for a hooker.
Just before the hour mark, the hosts were reduced to 14 men, with young openside Bradley being sinbinned for a deliberate knock-on as he went for the ball one-handed in his own 22.
Horne slotted the resulting penalty, with replacement Brandon Thomson then putting the visitors in front as he took over the place-kicking duties with the game moving into the final quarter.
Finding themselves behind, the Blues tried to force things as they looked to attack from their own half and their fate was sealed eight minutes from time.
Replacement Mason Grady’s pass was intercepted by fellow sub Huw Jones, with Thomson adding the conversion.