Glasgow Warriors did not quite have the brains to outsmart brawny Bristol at Firhill last night, yet in readying themselves for the season the home side will hope they took more from the game than their one dimensional opponents.
A clash of philosophies was quickly apparent as the Warriors showed the ambition with which they want to play in the Magners League while their streetwise visitors from the English Premiership prepared for the league season the way they intend to play.
Warriors were first to be awarded a penalty in good field position two minutes in, but from just outside the 22 Dan Parks kicked to touch. It was a popular option in 1572 crowd and clean lineout ball was won but when the ball found its way back to the stand-off Parks' pass was too hot for Max Evans and no points were registered.
In stark contrast when Bristol were awarded kickable penalties within the next 10 minutes Adrian Jarvis went for goal with all of them, hitting the target with three.
When he did so again half an hour into the match the Warriors were struggling.
Their determination to run the ball eventually paid off however after Jason Hobson, Bristol's tighthead prop, was sin-binned for repeatedly infringing. Against 14 men they opted to scrummage and after Richie Vernon exploded off the back, sucking in retreating defenders, the ball was recycled to Parks whose triple miss pass left Lome Fa'atu with an easy run in, Parks converting to make it 7-12 at the break.
Jarvis took a sixth pot at goal three minutes into the second half, but pushed it wide.
The Bristol side were tiring in the face of the Warriors' all action approach, but they absorbed the pressure before earning Jarvis a 61st minute chance to stretch their lead from range which he took.
The Warriors greater creativity eventually earned them a second try as time ran out, fine running by Thom Evans and Richie Vernon stretching the defence sufficiently to allow Hefin O'Hare to send John Beattie into the right corner, but it was too little too late to change the outcome.
Glasgow R Jackson; L Fa'atau, M Evans, A Henderson, T Evans; D Parks, M McMillan; E Kalman, D Hall, M Low, O Palepoi, D Turner, K Brown, J Barclay, R Vernon.
Replacements used - A Kellock, J Beattie, E Milligan, C Gregor, G Strain, R Gray, C Forrester, H O'Hare, D Gibson
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