RaboDirect Pro12: Glasgow beat Zebre to win fourth straight game
Glasgow maintained their perfect start to the RaboDirect Pro12 season with a 24-17 victory over Zebre.
Last Updated: 27/09/13 10:21pm
Two tries from Byron McGuigan helped them to the win, with hooker Dougie Hall also getting on the scoresheet and Henry Pyrgos adding all three conversions.
Having gone 24-3 up the visitors would have fancied their chances of securing a bonus point, but a loss of focus resulted in Samuela Vunisa and Leonardo Sarto reducing the deficit.
Glasgow had to wait until the 25th minute to open the scoring as Pyrgos slotted over a penalty after he had wasted the advantage with a knock-on while stretching for the line.
A try quickly followed when Gabriel Ascarate's inside pass allowed Sean Maitland to burst clear and send McGuigan over in the corner, with Pyrgos' conversion making it 10-0.
A ruck infringement allowed Luciano Orquera to cut the deficit with a 45-metre penalty just after the half-hour but Zebre prop Salvatore Perugini was then sin-binned for kicking out twice in a ruck.
It remained 10-3 at half-time but soon after the restart a break started by Tommy Seymour and continued by Alex Dunbar ended with Hall crossing in the corner.
McGuigan then gathered Maitland's grubber kick despite an awkward high bounce to touch down for the second time and another excellent Pyrgos conversion made it 24-3.
Zebre almost got their first try on the board but were denied when the television official ruled he could not say conclusively that Tommaso d'Apice had grounded the ball.
But table-toppers Glasgow finally conceded their first try in the competition when No 8 Vunisa barrelled over, taking two defenders with him.
Orquera converted to make it 24-10 and Zebre were soon in again as Giovanbattista Venditti's stirring break set up field position and Vunisa ultimately sent Sarto over.
