Glasgow 28 - 17 Ospreys: Gray makes mark on Glasgow return with match-winning try

It was a convincing victory in the end, with Duncan Weir kicking seven penalties, but Glasgow had to survive an indifferent first-half performance when Ospreys threatened, but didn’t quite manage, to build a substantial lead and put the game beyond the home side.

It was the experience of the World Cup players that kept Glasgow in touch and eventually saw them through. Scrum-half Chris Cusiter was named as man of the match and Graeme Morrison played an influential role at inside centre in his 150th game for a side that had battled to achieve back-to-back wins against Cardiff Blues and the Dragons in the Rabo Direct Pro12 league while most eyes were on the action down in New Zealand.

The Ospreys went into the game sitting pretty at the top of the league with an impeccable six out of six win record and a comfortable ten points ahead of Glasgow. But with their cohort of Welsh internationals unavailable, having competed in the third place play-off, only Irishman Tommy Bowe was back after the World Cup.

Glasgow ripped into the visitors from the start, retaining possession from the kick-off before Cusiter took a quick tap penalty to gain an extra 20 metres that set up fly-half Weir to land the easy penalty – his ninth in a row after equalling the league record with eight consecutive penalties last time out against the Dragons.

But his opposite number, 19-year-old Matthew Morgan cancelled it out with a 35-metre penalty within minutes and then repeated the success with a huge wind-assisted thump from five metres inside his own half after Glasgow’s scrum was penalised.

Weir kicked out on the full and instead of gaining 50 metres Glasgow were pushed back and Morgan was able to kick his third penalty, this time from 40 metres. Ospreys were playing the more free-flowing rugby and carrying the more potent threat as Glasgow struggled to get into the game. Weir tried to spark some life into his team by finding a gap and crossing the gainline, but the support was too slow getting to him and then No 8 Ryan Wilson knocked on to end a promising move.

Another attempt by Weir to win territory went out on the full with Glasgow hauled back into their own half. Full-back Stuart Hogg found some space on the left wing but his grubber kick to the corner was soaked up and Ospreys booted the ball back down the pitch to clear the danger.

The Ospreys forwards were bullying a Glasgow side that looked increasingly fragile and ill at ease. Loosehead prop Gordon Reid found himself all alone in his own 22, retrieving a long kick through with Ospreys bearing down on him, but he kept his head and helped to scramble it clear.

However, there was nothing they could do when what looked like a good tackle on scrum-half Rhys Webb was ruled offside and Morgan held up a finger to the wind before casually banging over a phenomenal fourth penalty from almost ten metres inside his own half.

Confidence was oozing from every Ospreys player, but Glasgow’s frantic defence held steady as the pack tried to rumble over the line. Slowly, the tide turned. Gray, his trademark blond hair newly bleached, won a few line-outs and blindside flanker Rob Harley won a crucial turnover, but Weir’s penalty hit the post. He did get another chance before half-time and this time he nailed it so that Glasgow went in at the break lucky to be trailing by only six points. Stung by a dressing-room dressing-down and with the wind in their backs, Glasgow pounced on the first loose ball and forced their way right up to the Ospreys line, twice almost barging over with the penalty waiting, but eventually they had to settle for another three points from Weir’s boot.

Samoan Kahn Fotuali’i replaced Webb for his debut as the Ospreys scrum-half and John Barclay took over from Chris Fusaro at openside for Glasgow. Ospreys’ confidence had taken a knock and they were no longer controlling the match, but they still weren’t shy of trying things and Morgan just screwed an attempted drop goal wide.

It was Weir, however, who claimed the next points, bringing his side level with a fourth 35-metre penalty after Italian referee Carlo Damasco had warned the Ospreys about the frequency of their offending at the breakdown. It was no surprise when their prop Richard Hibbard, just on as a substitute was sent to the sin bin minutes later and Glasgow took full advantage of the imbalance in numbers with a couple of aggressive pick-and-go drives before Gray stretched out his 6ft 10in body to ground the ball right on the line for a try that was awarded only after reference to the video referee. Weir’s conversion went over off the post and everything was going Glasgow’s way for the final quarter.

Colin Shaw came in off his wing to step past three or four defenders and, when Osprey hands prevented fair release as lock Tom Ryder took the ball into contact, Weir kicked a fifth penalty to extend the lead.

It was almost inevitable that, having seen Morgan do it in the first half, Weir would have a go when a penalty was given five metres inside the Glasgow half. The ball sailed between the posts for a psychological blow that left Ospreys a beaten, bedraggled and somewhat bemused team even if they do stay top of the table.

Glasgow kept up the pressure right to the end to ensure a third win in a row and another hike up the league rankings. A seventh penalty from Weir rubbed in the misery although Morgan crossed in injury time for a consolation try but then missed the conversion.

Scorers: Glasgow: Try: Gray. Cons: Weir. Pens: Weir 7. Ospreys: Try: Morgan. Pens: Morgan 4.

Glasgow: S Hogg, T Seymour, R Dewey, G Morrison, C Shaw, D Weir, C Cusiter, G Reid, P McArthur, M Cusack, R Gray, T Ryder, R Harley, C Fusaro, R Wilson. Subs used: D Hall, G Hunter, E Kalman, J Eddie, J Barclay, C Gregor, T Nathan, F Aramburu.

Ospreys: R Fussell, T Bowe,S Parker, A Bishop, E Walker, M Morgan, R Webb, D Jones, M Davies, C Griffiths, I Gough, I Evans, T Smith, J Bearman, J Thomas. Subs used: R Hibbard, A Jarvis, R Bevington, J King, G Stowers, K Fotuali’i, A Beck, H Dirksen.