Glasgow Warriors 25 Ulster 6:Bottom-placed Ulster slumped to their fourth defeat in the Magners Celtic League at Firhill last night in a match punctuated by penalties.
Ulster were comprehensively beaten in the backrow battle and as a result never had the supply of ball needed to inflict damage on Glasgow.
Ulster, too, were much too penalty prone and it was an early indiscretion in the ruck by Neil Best that gave Glasgow first points with a kick by Scotland outhalf Dan Parks.
The visitors had an immediate chance to reply but David Humphreys struck his attempt wide.
Then after a surge into the Ulster 22 area by Glasgow blindside Kelly Brown, Parks punished an offence at the breakdown with his second kick.
Parks landed another penalty goal following a Daryl Gibson-led attack and good support from Brown and tighthead Moray Low.
From an Ulster lineout Humphreys chipped the Glasgow defence to set up an attack, but again, when the move broke down a penalty award followed, giving Parks his fourth success.
Ulster, however, were showing confidence in their play and when Bryn Cunningham sent Mark McCrea on a touchline dash it seemed a try was certain, only for a brave tackle by Lome Fa'atau to deny the score.
Four minutes into the second half Ulster posted their first points with a Humphreys penalty. Then, after Parks missed a relatively simple kick, Humphreys got his second success to reduce the lead to six points.
Parks missed a drop goal in front of the posts, but from the 22 restart Glasgow roared back into attack with a series of thrusts at the Ulster line that ended with the Scotland centre taking a short pass to score under the posts.
Ulster came close to scoring when replacement prop Declan Fitzpatrick surged to the line. Then having survived a period of Ulster pressure Glasgow produced another attack, this time inspired by the pacey Tom Evans.
Inevitably it led to another penalty, Parks rediscovering his accuracy to put over his fifth goal. Then just on full time Parks kicked his sixth goal.
GLASGOW WARRIORS: B Stortoni; L Fa'atau (H O'Hare 75 mins), A Henderson (S Barrow 75 mins), D Gibson, T Evans; D Parks, C O'Young (S Pinder 57 mins); J Va'a (E Kalman 57 mins), F Thomson (E Milligan 52 mins), M Low, A Newman (D Turner 65 mins), A Kellock (capt), K Brown, J Barclay (J Eddie 72 mins), J Beattie.
ULSTER: B Cunningham (M Bartholomeusz 56 mins); T Bowe, A Trimble, R Dewey, M McCrea (P Wallace 71 mins); D Humphreys, I Boss; J Fitzpatrick, R Best (capt), B Young (D Fitzpatrick 67 mins), J Harrison, R Caldwell (C Del Fava 67 mins), N Best, K Dawson (R Wilson 36 mins), S Ferris.
Referee: A Small (RFU).
