Glasgow score seven tries in dominant Dragons win

United Rugby Championship

Dragons (20)

Tries: Benjamin, Lewis-Hughes Cons: Evans 2 Pens: Evans 2

Glasgow (45)

Tries: Matthews, Mann, G Horne 2, Weir, McBeth, Cancelliere Cons: Weir 5

Glasgow strengthened their second position in the URC table as they ran in seven tries in a convincing 45-20 demolition of bottom side Dragons.

Johnny Matthews, player of the match Jack Mann, George Horne and Duncan Weir all scored in a second-quarter blitz.

Scores from James Benjamin and Shane Lewis-Hughes kept the Dragons in the game at half-time.

But tries from Nathan McBeth and Horne with his second relieved any pressure on Franco Smith's troops, with Seb Cancelliere rounding off the scoring.

Smith, a former Newport player and potential candidate for the Wales national job, rarely had any cause for concern as Glasgow moved seven points ahead of third-placed Bulls.

The largely one-sided game showed the task ahead of Dragons coach Filo Tiatia, taking charge of his first match since being given the permanent role, as his team lost their 10th successive league game.

Warriors were without a dozen Scotland internationals because of national squad duties, but still had five released, while Dragons lost just three players to Wales.

The home side started more efficiently with hooker Benjamin crossing after a tap penalty on his 100th appearance and Lloyd Evans adding the conversion to his opening penalty.

But both Benjamin and opposite number Grant Stewart were forced off with head knocks, Stewart's replacement Matthews crashing over after a Dragons defensive muddle to open the floodgates after 23 minutes.

After another Evans penalty, Mann quickly added a second and Horne rounded off a fine move almost straight from the restart with charging prop Fin Richardson setting it up.

The impressive Mann turned provider just before the interval with the key break from which Weir scrambled over amid defensive confusion, with Glasgow's four tries coming in the space of 14 minutes.

But despite having Dane Blacker sin-binned, Dragons struck in their next attack through Lewis-Hughes to cut the halftime deficit to four points.

Glasgow began the second half with a bang as prop McBeth rumbled over and Horne strolled through for his second after 46 minutes, Weir adding two more sets of extras to extinguish home hopes.

Former Wales centre Scott Williams, 34, made his Dragons debut among rafts of early substitutions on both sides, while Macenzzie Duncan and Kerr Johnston made their first appearances for the Warriors.

The final half-hour lacked any tension as Cancelliere strolled in for his team's seventh try to round off the scoring after 72 minutes.

Glasgow have now won six straight games against Dragons

Dragons coach Filo Tiatia said: "It's hard when you focus on the number of points but there were a lot more positives than negatives.

"We've got a lot of young players for this level, it's where we're at with the player base and a high number unavailable and there were moments I was really proud of, though we weren't clinical enough.

"There's players here that are off contract [at the end of the season] so they're working really hard.

"(Previous coach) Dai Flanagan brought Scott Williams in when Steff Hughes left (for the USA) so he's staying in the programme with his experience. He had some nice moments and possibly he'll get more opportunities."

Glasgow and Scotland squad number eight Jack Mann said: "It's definitely a big result on the road for us.

"We were a bit slow at the start of the first half but we came out and really executed well at the second half.

"The sign of a good team is when you can close out the result when you're ahead and I felt we did that well today.

"I've been at Glasgow a long time so the shape we run is almost second nature though it can be a challenge switching between (club and country) notebooks, but I'm just enjoying being in the Scotland camp."

Dragons: Huw Anderson; Rio Dyer, Harry Wilson, Aneurin Owen (capt), Jared Rosser; Lloyd Evans, Dane Blacker; Josh Reynolds, James Benjamin, Chris Coleman, Joe Davies, George Nott, Ryan Woodman, George Young, Shane Lewis-Hughes.

Replacements: Brodie Coghlan, Rhodri Jones, Paula Latu, Barny Langton-Cryer, Evan Minto, Che Hope, Will Reed, Scott Williams.

Glasgow: Josh McKay; Sebastian Cancelliere, Ollie Smith, Duncan Munn, Facundo Cordero; Duncan Weir (capt), George Horne; Jamie Bhatti, Grant Stewart, Fin Richardson, Jare Oguntibeju, Alex Samuel, Euan Ferrie, Henco Venter, Jack Mann.

Replacements: Johnny Matthews, Nathan McBeth, Patrick Schickerling, Ally Miller, Angus Fraser, Macenzzie Duncan, Ben Afshar, Kerr Johnston.

Referee: Peter Martin (IRFU)

Assistant referees: Adam Jones & Matthew Leon (WRU)

TMO: Mark Patton (IRFU)