Glasgow 19 Ulster 22:ULSTER MAINTAINED their fine recent run with a last-gasp victory at Firhill last night that owed everything to the prodigious goal-kicking of former Springbok Ruan Pienaar. The South African scored all his side's points in an impressive individual display.
It was Glasgow who broke the early stalemate with a penalty goal from their Scotland outhalf Ruaridh Jackson after Ulster number eight Pedire Wannenburg had been cautioned for interference in the lineout.
At the other end, Jackson’s opposite number Pienaar was just off target with an ambitious, long-range attempt at goal, but quickly atoned with his second effort to level the scores.
Then, after DTH van der Merwe had come desperately close to scoring in the corner, Ulster benefited from Glasgow’s inability to control the ball in their own 22, earning a scrum, and a penalty for a subsequent collapse giving Pienaar his second three-pointer.
Glasgow were beginning to win the territory battle, but a chance to draw level was missed when Jackson hooked his second kick at goal.
It was costly, as Pienaar promptly landed a goal from a metre inside the Ulster half to give his side a 9-3 interval advantage.
A similar effort by Jackson at the beginning of the second half fell short, and when the Glasgow outhalf hooked another shot at goal two minutes later it seemed the home side were not to be rescued by penalty kicks.
That perception changed, however, when Jackson goaled from close range to narrow Ulster’s lead to three points.
Ulster came close to a decisive reply when Paddy Wallace sent a chipped kick up the blindside that gave winger Craig Gilroy a touchline run that fell short but which spawned a productive period in possession for the visitors, ending with a dangerous run from full back Simon Danielli.
But it was Glasgow who eventually grabbed the try the game needed from a charge down by lock Rob Harley, clever linkage by his secondrow colleague Aly Muldowney and powerful finishing by replacement prop Ryan Grant. Jackson added the conversion and then a penalty goal for a 16-9 lead.
But from a penalty-created line-out Ulster rumbled to the line and when they won a second penalty Pienaar took a quick tap and dived over. He added the conversion to level the scores.
Then, from half-way, Pienaar delivered what seemed the killer blow with a superb kick, only for replacement outhalf Duncan Weir to match the South African.
But with five seconds remaining Pienaar proved himself the hero with the winner from 48 metres out to complete a fine individual performance.
GLASGOW WARRIORS: B Stortoni; DTH van der Merwe (H O’Hare 53), F Aramburu, P Murchie, A Dunbar; R Jackson (D Weir 75), C Gregor; J Welsh (K Tkachuk 55), F Thomson (P MacArthur 55), M Low (R Grant 55), A Muldowney, R Harley, J Eddie (J Beattie 55), R Wilson, R Vernon.
ULSTER: S Danielli; C Gaston (T Seymour 69), N Spence, P Wallace, C Gilroy; R Pienaar, P Marshall (I Whitten 64); T Court, A Kyriacou (R Best 49), D Fitzpatrick (P McAllister 47), J Muller, D Tuohy (T Barker 66), R Diack, C Henry (W Faloon 64), P Wannenburg.
Referee: David Jones (Wales).
Attendance: 2,715.
