Glasgow Warriors made it five wins from five in the RaboDirect PRO12 as they beat the Scarlets 17-12 to move back to the top of the table.

Ryan Grant and Tim Swinson scored the tries that extended the Warriors’ unbeaten start to the season to five games, ending the Welsh outfit’s five-game run of victories against Scottish sides in the process.

Glasgow made a great start to the game as Fijian Niko Matawalu battered his way forward, and from a quick tap penalty the Warriors found themselves camped deep in the Scarlets 22.

Glasgow threw men into contact and Grant was driven over the line on four minutes, with the try awarded by the TMO. Duncan Weir added the extras to make it 7-0 as the Scarlets struggled to apply any attacking pressure to the visitors.

On 17 minutes Rhys Priestland did land a penalty for the home side to reduce the deficit, with play camped in the middle of the field as both teams strained for supremacy in the scrum.

A delightful step from the evergreen Sean Lamont put Glasgow back on the attack, with Swinson then driving deep into the Scarlets 22.

The ball was recycled and found its way to Swinson again who managed to squirm forward and get the ball down despite intense pressure from the Scarlets defence.

The TMO was again called on to judge the grounding but after a short pause the points were awarded and Weir added his second conversion of the evening.

Despite trailing 14-3 the Scarlets were having some success at the set-piece and after several scrum penalties Priestland stepped up to pop over a second penalty and send his side in eight points behind.

The Welsh international fly-half opened the second half with another penalty and momentum was with the home side, who almost got their first try when Matawalu made a mess of the ball on his own line but redeemed himself with some desperate defending.

Glasgow lost Lamont to the sin bin for ten minutes for holding onto his man in the tackle as the Scarlets turned the screw without ever making the vital breakthrough.

The penalties kept coming, however, and with Priestland carrying a knock Jordan Williams took over the kicking duties and he made it a two-point game with 20 minutes still to play.

But just two minutes later Weir took aim from distance and popped over a long-range beauty to extend the Glasgow lead to five points as play went into the final quarter.

The Scarlets were unable to get the territory they needed to really apply pressure to Glasgow in the final minute with the Scottish side holding out relatively easily.

Weir was off target with a drop goal attempt that would have put the result beyond doubt, and with five minutes remaining Matawalu got himself sent to the sin bin for stamping at the ruck.

Williams took aim but his penalty effort never looked like finding the target and the Warriors saw out the final few minutes with 14 men to secure victory and move to the top of the table.