Glasgow Warriors 13-3 Benetton: Home side up to second in URC after subduing stubborn visitors

Jack Dempsey scored Glasgow Warriors' second try

Glasgow Warriors moved up to second in the United Rugby Championship but were made to work hard for their narrow victory over Benetton.

Tries in each half from Ollie Smith and Jack Dempsey sent the home side on their way to a third consecutive win.

Benetton beat Glasgow 19-18 at home in November and drew 13-13 with Dragons in Wales last time out.

But they drop to ninth after a second defeat in a row in Scotland following a 24-10 loss Edinburgh in December.

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Penalties were shared in an untidy start by both sides at Scotstoun Stadium.

Former Western Force fly-half Domingo Miotti, the Argentine fly-half making his first Glasgow start along with Tonga wing Walter Fifita, slotted the first from under the posts after just three minutes.

Compatriot opposite number Tomas Albornoz replied three minutes later from a similar range.

It looked like Rufus McLean had scored a superb individual try when he kicked on before winning a chase with two Benetton players.

However, the wing was left with only a red face after crashing into the advertising hoardings as replays showed the 21-year-old had grounded the ball with his forehead rather than hands and his effort was ruled null and void by the TMO.

It was not long before a try did count, with 21-year-old full-back Smith riding a couple of challenges before sneaking over the try line after 22 minutes for his first URC try.

Benetton full-back Rhyno Smith came close to reducing arrears as an audacious drop goal from the halfway line just failed to droop between the posts.

The visitors, already under strength through injuries and international call-ups, had their chances reduced further by the early loss of captain Irne Herbst to a head knock then replacement Marco Lazzaroni with his arm in a sling just before the break.

Glasgow took advantage when back-row Lorenzo Cannone was sent to the sin bin for a lifting tackle on Fraser Brown early in the second half.

Flanker Dempsey reached over to touch down from the back of a maul and Warriors saw out the rest of the game comfortably in difficult conditions for a fifth consecutive URC win.

Glasgow Warriors head coach Danny Wilson: "We defended well but could have done more in attack. We did enough to get the win tonight against a tough team and that's the most important thing.

"We are not getting ahead of ourselves. We just focus on Scarlets next and hope to keep this winning run going."

Glasgow Warriors: Smith, Fifita, Steyn, Johnson, McLean, Miotti, G Horne, Kebble, Brown, Berghan, McDonald, Gray, Wilson, Gordon, Dempsey.

Replacements: Matthews, McBeth, Pieretto, Bean, Miller, Dobie, Thompson, McDowall.

Benetton: Bell, Pani, Riera, Drago, Smith, Albornoz, Garbisi, Gallo, Nicotera, Tetaz Chaparro, Herbst, Wegner, Zuliani, Fantini, L Cannone.

Replacements: Els, Drudi, Alongi, Lazzaroni, Meggiato, Izekor, Petrozzi, Ratuva.

Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland).