Heineken Cup / Pool F / Bourgoin 16 Glasgow 3: Depleted Glasgow's bid to become the first Scottish side to claim a Heineken European Cup triumph in France was dashed despite a gutsy display at the Stade Pierre Rajon last night
They were unlucky to be trailing by three points at the interval and were unable to respond when the locals surged in the second half.
Glasgow exerted some early pressure with a superb touch-finder from Dan Parks. They stole the lineout, only to surrender the ball. Number eight John Beattie was showing up prominently in the first quarter but tended to become isolated from his support runners as Glasgow deservedly edged in front with a penalty by Parks.
The Frenchmen were on level terms four minutes later as Benjamin Boyet replied with an identical score for a rucking offence.
In the approach to the interval Glasgow's Graeme Morrison was denied a try by the TV referee - and Bourgoin snatched the lead against the run of play with the last kick of the half.
Glasgow stepped up the momentum with John Barclay having a tilt at the line, only to be penalised for a late tackle shortly afterwards. Bourgoin failed to clear their lines, giving Shaw a chance to break into the danger zone. But this time the ball was turned over, allowing the home defenders to boot clear. Prop Kevin Tkachuk impeded a chaser and Boyet landed the kick.
After the restart Boyet launched a long-range drop-goal attempt which crashed back from the post. Then Glasgow suffered a significant setback. First, Beattie limped off with a damaged leg, replaced by Gregor Hayter and six minutes later Bourgoin worked a try for David Janin. Boyet added the conversion.
There was another alarm for the Warriors when Janin appeared to win the race to the corner. This time Glasgow received the benefit of the doubt on the screen rerun. The Scots' prospects of mounting a late fightback were snuffed out when substitute Nic Carmona thumped over a penalty.
BOURGOIN: A Forest; Janin, Bousses, Giorgadze, Coux; Boyet, M Forest; Milloud, Montagnat, Peyron, Pape, Pierre, Diotallevi, Baluc-Rittener, Jooste. Replacements: Davis for Boyet (71), Cardinali for Peyron (63), Monzeglio for Diotallevi (29).
GLASGOW: Shaw; O'Hare, Morrison, Henderson, Craig; Parks, Beveridge; Tckachuk, Lawson, Harrison, Hamilton, Barker, Dearlove, Barclay, Beattie. Replacements: Pinder for Beveridge (58), Thomson for Lawson (63), Hayter for Beattie (45).
Referee: Dave Pearson (RFU).
