[score]
[team1]Connacht[/team1][score1]28[/score1]
[team2]Glasgow Warriors[/team2][score2]24[/score2]
[/score]
Two tries from Bundee Aki ensured a winning start for Connacht at the Sportsground as they brought a six-match losing against Glasgow Warriors to an end.
Skipper Jarrad Butler led from the front in a game which only came to life in the second-half after an error-ridden opening period.
Connacht were eventually made pay for their indiscipline as a fifth penalty to the corner yielded the opening try just before the interval when Glasgow worked the ball infield from the left and out-half Adam Hastings stepped inside Alex Wootton to send centre Nick Grigg through to score.
Hastings added the conversion to make it 7-3 at the break, after Jack Carty had given Connacht a perfect start with a second minute penalty but they didn’t make early dominance count.
They defended well when lock Quinn Roux was binned at the end of the opening quarter.
Hastings extended the lead with a penalty from 35 metres seven minutes after the restart but Connacht, with their discipline improving, responded well and when Glasgow failed to clear their lines after Peter Sullivan was unable to hold a chip from Wootton, the home side made them pay.
Quick hands from Kieran Marmion were key but it was Tom Farrell who created the opening when he stepped inside and Aki was on his shoulder to score, with Carty’s conversion tying the sides after 51 minutes.
Roux pushed Connacht ahead when he scored under the posts after a pop pass from his captain Jarrad Butler, with Carty making it 17-10 with the extras but then Glasgow full-back Huw Jones exploited a big hole in the home rearguard to score under the posts, allowing Hastings to level with the conversion.
Carty restored Connacht’s lead with a penalty and then a good run from full-back John Porch and a chip from Wootton sent Aki for his second try in the left corner to lead 25-17 with 14 minutes left.
A try in the right corner from Tommy Seymour, which Hastings converted, ensured a tight finish for the crowd of 200, but a Carty penalty from 40 metres four minutes from time gave them breathing space and they held out.
J Porch; P Sullivan, T Farrell, B Aki (S Arnold 66), A Wootton; J Carty, K Marmion (C Blade 59); D Buckley (J Duggan 71), D Heffernan, F Bealham (A Aungier 54); G Thornbury (N Murray 77), Q Roux; J Butler, C Oliver (S Masterson 54), P Boyle.
H Jones; T Seymour, N Grigg, S McDowall (P Horne 61), R Nairn (R Tagive 54); A Hastings, A Price (G Horne 71); O Kebble (A Seiuli 60), F Brown, D Rae; R Harley, S Cummings (R Gray 71); R Wilson, C Fusaro (F Lokotui 61), M Fagerson.
Craig Evans (Wales).