Johnny Matthews was the hero as Glasgow Warriors dug deep to defeat Ulster 33-20 and move clear at the top of the United Rugby Championship table.

On a bitterly cold night at a sold-out Scotstoun, the home side warmed the hearts of their fans with a five-try performance. Matthews, cast in the role of super sub, got two of them, and now has seven in six games this season and is in the top five all-time try-scorers at the club.

It’s five wins from six for Franco Smith’s side, who continue to play with muscular invention and made light of their issues at scrum-half. With Ali Price now at Edinburgh, and Jamie Dobie and George Horne both injured, Sean Kennedy stepped in and scored Glasgow’s first try. He was replaced late on by Ben Afshar, the Scotland Under-20 co-captain, who was making his first competitive appearance as a Warrior. The other Glasgow tries came from George Turner and Kyle Rowe as the home overcame a tricky opening.

Johnny Matthews was once again in excellent try-scoring form for Glasgow Warriors.

Ulster, who gave a debut off the bench to double World Cup winner Steven Kitshoff, raced into a 14-0 lead after only 11 minutes. The first, scored by Ulster hooker Tom Stewart from a lineout maul, was the sort the Warriors specialise in. The second also came indirectly from a lineout, with John Cooney burrowing over when he should really have been stopped. Cooney converted both.Glasgow had been pinned back in their own half for the first 15 minutes but they finally managed to escape and their first try soon followed. Tom Jordan kicked a penalty into the Ulster 22, giving the home side a platform to attack. After big carries from Sione Tuipulotu - outstanding all night - and Rory Darge, Kennedy was able to nip in and hurl himself over the line. It was a special moment for the scrum-half who had not started a game for over two-and-a-half years and Jordan’s conversion cut Ulster’s lead in half.

The momentum was now with Glasgow and they battered away at the visitors’ defence but Ulster stood firm, resorting to illegal means on a regular basis. Twice their captain Iain Henderson was warned by Ben Whitehouse about the persistent infringing but the referee’s cards remained in his pocket. The Warriors finally broke through with the clock in the red, a huge lineout maul resulting in a try for hooker George Turner which Jordan converted to send the teams in level at the end of a compelling half.

Ulster brought on Kitshoff for his debut but the prop was powerless to stop Glasgow taking the lead for the first time, and it was a wonderful try. The hard work was done up front and then the backs took over, Tuipulotu playing a no-look pass to Jordan, who shipped it on to Josh McKay to unselfishly play in Rowe for the score. In a double blow for Ulster, lock Kieran Treadwell was yellow carded for trying to pull down the maul. Jordan was off target with the conversion and Ulster cut the lead to two points with a penalty from Cooney.

Glasgow refreshed their pack with a triple substitution and the impact was immediate. Matthews had come on at hooker for Turner but popped up on the right wing and scored a try Seb Cancelliere would have been proud of, running in from 25 metres out. Jordan’s conversion put Glasgow 26-17 ahead.

Steven Kitshoff's Ulster debut ended in disappointment at Scotstoun.

Nathan Doak’s penalty brought Ulster back to within six points as the game went into the final 15 minutes but Matthews had another trick up his sleeve. As the Warriors took a grip up front he piled over from close range with the help of fellow sub Sione Vailanu. Jordan added the extras to make it 33-20 and put Glasgow out of sight.

Scorers: Glasgow Warriors – Tries: Kennedy, Turner, Rowe, Matthews 2. Cons: Jordan 4. Ulster – Tries: Stewart, Cooney. Cons: Cooney 2. Pens: Cooney, Doak. Yellow card: Treadwell (Ulster, 51)

Glasgow Warriors: J McKay; S Cancelliere, S Tuipulotu (D Weir 73), S McDowall (capt), K Rowe; T Jordan, S Kennedy (B Afshar 76); J Bhatti (O Kebble 58), G Turner (J Matthews 58), Z Fagerson (L Sordoni 73), G Peterson (R Gray 73), S Cummings (S Manjezi 73), M Fagerson, R Darge (S Vailanu 58), J Dempsey.

Ulster: W Addison; R Baloucoune, J Hume, L Marshall (B Moxham 63), J Stockdale; B Burns (N Doak 19), J Cooney (D Shanahan 59); E O’Sullivan (S Kitshoff 49), T Stewart (Z Solomon 73), T O’Toole (M Moore 49), K Treadwell, I Henderson, H Sheridan (M Rea 12-19; 52), R Crothers, J McNabney. Replacement not used: A O’Connor,

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU).

Attendance: 7,216

Glasgow Warriors move clear at top of URC as Johnny Matthews is hero against Ulster