Ulster rained on Glasgow Warrior’s parade beating them 18-9 in the Heineken Cup

ULSTER have picked up vital points after beating Glasgow Warriors on their home turf by 18-9.

It was a solid display as the rain pelted down from the moment the balL was kicked into play.

And it keeps Mark Anscombe’s team on top of their pool following their opening win at home against Castres last Friday.

In the end, Paddy Jackson’s 14 points proved crucial in securing the win and the points to retain their unbeaten performances

Two Jackson penalties gave Ulster a 6-3 interval lead as Glasgow’s Peter Horne missed a couple of kickable penalties in the wet conditions at Scotstoun.

Chris Henry added Ulster’s crucial try after the break as the visitors took a firm stranglehold on the contest.

Niko Matawalu notched a late Glasgow try but Ulster had done enough.

The win maintains Ulster perfect record this season as they chalked up their seventh straight success.

Glasgow went into the contest hit by an injury crisis with Sean Lamont the latest to join a long list of absentees already including Chris Cusiter, Ed Kalman and Rory Lamont.

The heavy rain made handling difficult in the first half as the match quickly turned into a scrappy forwards battle.

After Ruan Pienaar had left a long-range effort short, Horne missed a great penalty chance from 30 metres in the 19th minute.

Ulster’s second scrum infringement of the match did result in Horne kicking Glasgow ahead two minutes later but Jackson replied with two successful penalties after Byron McGuigan and Alastair Kellock had been penalised in quick succession.

Horne missed another good chance to level but Ulster produced pressure late in the first half near the Glasgow line before John Afoa’s knock-on averted the danger.

Ulster continued to turn the screw after the break as a series of pick and goes had the Glasgow defence backpedalling.

Not for the first time, Glasgow were punished for coming in from the side with Tom Ryder the transgressor as Jackson kicked his third penalty.

By that stage, Glasgow goalkicker Horne was forced off by injury and the game was effectively over in the 61st minute as Henry finished off another Ulster drive as he got the touchdown.

Two more penalties from the impeccable Jackson increased Ulster’s lead to 16 and Niko Matawalu’s 77th-minute try, which came after strong running from Ryan Wilson and Alex Dunbar, was little consolation for the home side whose Heineken Cup hopes are now hanging by a thread after two opening defeats.

Glasgow Warriors : Stuart Hogg, Byron McGuigan, Peter Murchie, Peter Horne, Alex Dunbar, Ruaridh Jackson, Henry Pyrgos, Ryan Grant, Dougie Hall, Mike Cusack, Tom Ryder, Al Kellock (capt), Josh Strauss, Chris Fusaro, Ryan Wilson.

Replacements : Finlay Gillies, Ofa Fainga’anuku, Gordon Reid, Tim Swinson, Rob Harley, John Barclay, Scott Wight, Niko Matawalu.

Ulster: Jared Payne; Tommy Bowe, Darren Cave, Paddy Wallace, Andrew Trimble; Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienaar; Tom Court, Rory Best, John Afoa, Johann Muller (capt), Dan Tuohy, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Nick Williams.

Replacements: Rob Herring, Callum Black, Adam Macklin, Lewis Stevenson, Mike McComish, Paul Marshall, Luke Marshall, Craig Gilroy.

Referee: Mathieu Raynal (Fra)