Glasgow Warriors moved top of the GUINNESS PRO12 with a 33-13 victory over Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade despite having to play much of the second half with 14 men.

Alex Dunbar’s early converted try and penalties from Duncan Weir and Stuart Hogg ensured Warriors led 13-3 at half-time, Angus O’Brien replying for the Dragons.

Warriors’ flanker Tyrone Holmes was sent off for serious foul play but Josh Strauss extended the lead midway through the second half after O’Brien and Weir had exchanged penalties.

The Dragons hit back through a try from Richie Rees but scores from Tommy Seymour and Tim Swinson secured the bonus point for the Warriors.

The two sides had made contrasting starts to the season with Warriors beating defending champions Leinster and Cardiff Blues in their first two games while the Dragons had claimed losing bonus points against Connacht and Ospreys.

The Dragons won both meetings between the two sides last season and they had the first chance to get points on the board but Tom Prydie’s penalty from inside his own half fell short.

But the Warriors, last season’s runners-up, were quickly into their stride and they crossed for the first try of the game on four minutes.

Scrum-half Nikola Matawalu, starting following his two tries against the Blues, fed Dunbar just outside the hosts’ 22 and the centre spotted a gap in the Dragons defence to score his first try of the season.

The visitors were in the ascendency with Dunbar and captain Strauss making breaks to take play deep into the Dragons’ half – the latter’s resulting in a penalty which Weir converted.

An O’Brien penalty got the Dragons on the board before a last ditch tackle from Taulupe Faletau prevented Matawalu capitalising on an interception.

The Dragons were gradually growing into the game but Hogg restored the ten-point gap with a penalty from the halfway line.

Dragons’ prop Lloyd Fairbrother was sent to the sin-bin on the stroke of half-time after a number of scrum penalties but Warriors would be reduced to 14-men permanently 40 seconds into the second half.

Holmes appeared to stamp on the shoulder of Dragons hooker T. Rhys Thomas and, after consulting with his TMO, referee David Wilkinson produced the red card.

O’Brien, making his first league start for the Dragons, narrowed the deficit to seven points with a penalty on 47 minutes but Weir cancelled it out immediately.

The sending off appeared to lift the home side with 20-year-old O’Brien breaking into the Warriors half but the danger was snuffed out by the covering defenders.

Despite being a man down, Gregor Townsend’s men found a second wind to score their second try of the game through Strauss after Rob Harley was held up just short of the line.

However the Dragons responded immediately through scrum-half Rees after captain Rynard Landman broke off the back of a maul to take play deep inside the Warriors half.

But Seymour wrapped up the win with 12 minutes remaining when he out sprinted the Dragons defence to score in the corner after being released by Hogg before Swinson completed the scoring.

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