The second-row combination of Leone Nakarawa and Jonny Gray helped extend Glasgow Warriors’ GUINNESS PRO12 home winning streak in a hard-fought win over Munster.

An attritional first-half was bookended by tries from Munster’s JJ Hanrahan and Robin Copeland although Finn Russell’s three penalties kept Glasgow in touch.

Nakarawa went over early in the second period to narrow the deficit before Hanrahan missed a pair of penalties and Gray crossed with less than ten minutes to go to give the hosts a hard-earned win.

It stretched the Warriors’ winning run at Scotstoun to 13 league matches and lifted them temporarily to the GUINNESS PRO12 summit.

Glasgow coach Gregor Townsend made ten changes from the side that suffered a narrow loss to Toulouse in Europe and the new-look hosts opened the scoring on six minutes through the boot of Russell.

But just a minute later, the visitors landed the first real blow of the game as Hanrahan, operating from fly-half, sold Nakarawa a quick dummy to squeeze over the line.

The 22-year-old was unable to convert his own try as he missed wide right and Russell followed his counterpart’s lead as he failed to slot a 12th minute penalty.

The Glasgow kicker did make amends five minutes later before veteran lock Paul O’Connell was sin-binned for going off his feet at the breakdown, although he was the fall guy for Munster’s persistent first-half infringements.

Their one-man advantage was the perfect opportunity for the Warriors to build a substantial lead but they could only trade penalties before O’Connell’s return.

While both sides showed glimpses of attacking intent, the defences were undeniably on top meaning the visitors were happy to settle for another Hanrahan penalty giving them an 11-9 lead.

And on the stroke of half-time, the Munstermen extended that advantage when Copeland finished off a number of phases in the home 22 by crashing over from close-range – Hanrahan adding the extras.

Trailing by nine points at the interval, it was pivotal that Glasgow were first to trouble the scorers in the second stanza and they did just that on 51 minutes with a try made in the second row.

Firstly, Gray barrelled through O’Connell before the ball was worked to Nakarawa who used his long limbs to stretch out for the score.

Russell slotted the conversion to narrow the deficit to 18-16 and when Hanrahan missed two eminently kickable penalties, the Munstermen looked rattled.

And with eight minutes remaining they surrendered their lead, as Gray’s quick-thinking in the 22 saw him pick-and-go and scamper over from close-range.

Russell hit the post with the tricky conversion to ensure the advantage was just three points and he missed a glorious opportunity to make it six soon after as he hooked a 35-metre penalty wide.

But Munster were unable to find a late score and the Scottish side triumphed 21-18 to make it three league wins in a row .

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