Tommy Seymour scored the crucial try as Glasgow Warriors got their RaboDirect PRO12 campaign off the ground with a hard-fought 22-15 win over Cardiff Blues.

Seymour struck with 12 minutes left on the clock and with his side in trouble at 15-12 down, thanks to four penalties and a drop goal from Blues fly-half Rhys Patchell.

But in the end, last season’s semi-finalists ground out the victory in the torrential rain despite some late Blues pressure.

The Warriors, on the back of a seven game winning streak at Scotstoun, drew first blood in the opening stages when the Blues were penalised for going over the top – Scott Wight striking a fine penalty to give the hosts a 3-0 lead.

Just three minutes later however, the Blues were level when the Warriors were pinged for crossing and fly-half Patchell, who made his Wales debut over the summer in Japan, levelled things up from the tee.

That gave the Blues a boost and only desperate scrambled defence from the home side, behind their own try line, denied the visitors a score.

The Blues came again however and when Warriors flanker Chris Fusaro was adjudged offside, Patchell made a mockery of the treacherous conditions with his second penalty of the night on nine minutes.

There was little to separate the two sides in the opening exchanges however and the Warriors restored parity soon after, Mark Bennett temporarily taking over kicking duties to make it 6-6.

Patchell then missed the target with another penalty before the hosts were forced into two changes through injury – Jonny Gray replacing Al Kellock and Tommy Seymour coming on in place of Byron McGuigan.

But it was the Warriors who regrouped and took the lead again, Wight on target, having retaken the kicking duties, after Blues centre Owen Williams was shown a yellow card for a deliberate trip.

Wight had another chance to double his side’s advantage soon after when Blues No.8 Robin Copeland was offside but he was wayward – but Bennett stepped up again just before half-time to give the home side a six-point lead at the break.

The conditions were unrelenting and weren’t making for running rugby but the Blues clawed their way back into the match – Patchell trimming the gap to three with his third penalty of the night.

He had another chance soon after from just inside his own half and didn’t quite have the range but Patchell made amends on 55 minutes to level the scores at 12-12.

Just after the hour mark, Bennett stepped up to the tee after Williams was penalised for not rolling away but could land his kick and Patchell handed the Blues the lead on 66 minutes with a fine right-footed drop goal.

But Glasgow then got the decisive score with Seymour picking the ball up off his toes before breaking the Blues line and romping over in the right-hand corner.

Another replacement Ruaridh Jackson nailed the conversion from the touchline to give the Warriors a 19-15 lead and he added a penalty soon after following Macauley Cook’s yellow card.

But back came Cardiff and they thought they had forced their way over the line, only for the referee to rule out the try but send Warriors’ Richie Vernon to the sin bin.

The Blues had two scrums just short of the Warriors’ line but they could find no way through as the hosts held on for the victory.