Glasgow - 39 Connacht - 34: Connacht came agonisingly close to achieving a bonus-point victory at Hughenden last night but were undone by a loss of concentration at the start of the second half that allowed Glasgow establish a 15-point gap.
But Connacht will be pleased with their strong finish. Their attacking game improved immensely with Paul Warwick at outhalf, but the downside was that they missed the kicking skills of Mark McHugh, taken off early in the second half.
Connacht, looking much the sharper of the two sides in the opening minutes, derived a quick reward with a drop-goal and then a penalty goal from the outhalf.
Glasgow began to test the Connacht defence and registered their first points with a penalty goal by Dan Parks, quickly followed by a try by Francisco Leonelli, the Puma fly-hacking a spilled ball up the touchline, before taking advantage of poor defence by Gavin Williams to touch down.
The lead was short-lived as Connacht hit back, moving the ball skilfully for Darren Yapp to gather in midfield before delivering a sweet pass out of the tackle, giving Daniel Riordan a clear run to the line, and leaving McHugh a simple conversion.
McHugh then stretched Connacht's lead with his second penalty goal.
At the other end Parks again showed the difference between the two kickers by pulling a kick wide but quickly atoned with a solo try and conversion to leave Connacht with a slender, 16-15 half-time lead.
The game's high tempo was maintained on the resumption as Glasgow used their pace to add a try from broken play by lock Alastair Kellock, and the conversion by Parks.
Connacht had barely regrouped when Glasgow struck again this time from a teasing cross-kick by Parks taken by Jon Petrie and then repeated surges gave flanker John Barclay the bonus-point try, Parks again converting for a 29-16 lead.
Matters became worse for Connacht when Scotland cap Graeme took advantage of poor midfield defence to power through under the posts, Parks adding the conversion.
Connacht made wholesale changes and showed they were not out of the game with a try by flanker Ray Ofisa, and - after Scotland centre Andy Henderson was sent to the sinbin, a third try, this time by replacement Brendan O'Connor.
Glasgow suffered a second yellow card when replacement Conor O'Loughlin was illegally impeded by Scott Barrow. From the resultant penalty Paul Warwick kicked the 40-metre goal to bring Connacht within seven points of Glasgow.
Sinbinning became infectious as O'Connor was shown the yellow card, Parks punishing the offence with a penalty goal.
But from the restart Glasgow failed to gather the ball, and Connacht attacked to the left for Yapp to cross in the corner for their fourth try, the final points of the match.
SCORERS: Glasgow: Tries - Leonelli, Parks, Kellock, Barclay, Morrison. Cons - Parks (4). Pens - Parks (2). Connacht: Tries - O'Riordan, Ofisa, O'Connor, Yapp. Con - McHugh. Pens - McHugh (2), Warwick. Drop-goal - McHugh.
GLASGOW WARRIORS: F Leonelli; R Lamont, G Morrison, A Henderson, H O'Hare; D Parks, G Beveridge; K Tkachuk, F Thomson, J Va'a; A Newman, A Kellock; A Wilson, J Petrie, J Barclay. Replacements: S Barrow for Leonelli (40 mins); S Pinder for Beveridge, S Lawson for Thomson (both 60 mins); B Prescott for Va'a (65 mins); D Turner for Newman, S Swindell for Wilson (both 69 mins).
CONNACHT: D Riordan; M Mostyn, P Warwick, G Williams, D Yapp; M McHugh, K Keane; R Hogan, J Fogarty, B Sturgess, D Gannon, A Farley, J Muldoon, C Rigney, R Ofisa. Replacements: K Matthews for Williams, J Hearty for McHugh (both 48 mins); C O'Loughlin for Riordan (50 mins); B Wilkinson for Hogan, A Flavin for Fogarty (both 65 mins); M Swift for Gannon, B O'Connor for Rigney (both 71 mins).
Referee: H Watkins (Wales).
