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**dudeabides** · 12-04-2009, 06:55 PM

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Edinburgh pick up vital away win
Scrum.com
December 4, 2009

Chris Paterson kicked two conversions for Edinburgh © PA
Tries from scrum-half Greig Laidlaw and replacement prop Craig Hamilton helped Edinburgh to a 17-16 win over the Scarlets at Parc y Scarlets.

The Scarlets, who have now only won two games in eight, scored two tries themselves through Richie Pugh and Lee Williams but it was not enough against a more streetwise Edinburgh, although they did register a losing bonus point.

The Scarlets opened the scoring on three minutes with a Rhys Priestland penalty but four minutes later the Scots levelled with a neatly-taken drop-goal from outside-half and man of the match David Blair. Priestland missed a second penalty shot on 22 minutes but five minutes later the Scarlets broke the try deadlock.

An initial break by Jonathan Davies was taken on by Lou Reed, before Andy Fenby jinked his way down the touchline sending openside Pugh over for an unconverted try as the Scarlets led 8-3 at the interval. Edinburgh stoked up the pressure after half-time and after going close a couple of times the try came through scrum-half Laidlaw and Paterson's conversion took the Scots into the lead for the first time. Three minutes later the Scarlets were back in the lead as Jones put over Lee Williams for the second try but replacement Stephen Jones could not add the conversion.

But the Scarlets' celebrations were short-lived as they went behind again five minutes later when Blair went through a gap to put replacement lock Craig Hamilton over for a converted try.

Glasgow vs Ulster

Glasgow earned a valuable 25-13 away win over Ulster at a wind and rain swept Ravenhill.

Warriors fly-half Dan Parks kicked 20 points alongside Thom Evans' second-half try on a night when Ulster, who were missing injured trio Stephen Ferris, Paddy Wallace and BJ Botha, were punished for an error-ridden display. All of Ulster's points came in the first half, with Tom Court scoring a try and Ian Humphreys kicking two penalties and a conversion as the visitors moved top of the table on points difference from Edinburgh.

The Warriors opened with a Parks penalty after five minutes and Humphreys was then on target with his first effort to tie the scores but he missed a second. The Ulster fly-half made up for his miss with a well-struck third to give Ulster a three-point lead which was stretched to 10 points when Court was driven through a seven man Glasgow pack following prop Jon Welsh's sin binning.

Humphreys added the extras but Parks hauled back three points for the Warriors with a long-range penalty in injury time to give Ulster a 13-6 lead at the break. With the elements behind the Warriors, Parks kicked two penalties shortly after the resumption to tuck the visitors in behind Ulster by a solitary point. Parks gave the visitors the lead after Ulster's hands strayed on the ball on the ground and after a sustained period of pressure from Ulster, the fly-half landed his sixth penalty to make it 18-13 to Glasgow.

The Warriors poured forward to Ulster's line and replacement scrum-half Chris Cusiter dummied from the ruck, broke and put Evans in at the right corner. Parks nailed a superb conversion and Glasgow to seal victory.

Edinburgh pick up vital away win | Rugby Union | Celtic League | Rugby News | Scrum.com