Glasgow beat Cardiff to move top of URC table

Glasgow Warriors: (21) 40

Tries: Dempsey, Steyn, Matthews 2, Schickerling, Rowe Cons: Horne 4, Smith

Cardiff: (7) 17

Tries: Adams, Southworth, Beetham Cons: Sheedy

Glasgow Warriors cruised to a bonus-point victory over Cardiff to go top of the United Rugby Championship with one round of the regular season remaining.

Jack Dempsey, Kyle Steyn and Johnny Matthews all crossed in the first half as Glasgow carved out a 21-7 half-time lead, with Josh Adams providing the solitary Cardiff response.

Matthews added another after the break, followed by Patrick Schickerling and Kyle Rowe, with tries from Danny Southworth and Jacob Beetham little more than consolation for the Welsh side.

Ulster's draw with Stormers opened the door for Glasgow to reclaim top spot, and Warriors travel to Belfast next weekend knowing a bonus-point win would secure a first-place finish and home advantage all the way through any potential path to the final.

Cardiff host Stormers in the final round and still have work to do to secure a top-eight spot and a place in the play-offs.

After a largely dull opening 18 minutes, Glasgow sprung to life with a slick move that set Dempsey free up the touchline. The big number eight was hauled down just short, but a couple of phases later Dempsey was ready for another blast and this time found his way to the line.

Warriors then carved Cardiff open all too easily with a strike move off a scrum to send Steyn clear to score.

The visitors needed a response and they got it when Adams darted over from close range and Sheedy converted to halve the deficit.

Glasgow reasserted themselves quickly. Matthews, who is departing Scotstoun this summer for French side Montauban, did as he has done so many times before by finishing off a rolling line-out maul to score.

The fourth try came in almost identical fashion, Matthews ploughing over to secure the bonus point that could prove vital in the final table.

Cardiff grabbed their second try when replacement prop Southworth burrowed over from close range, but substitute Schickerling responded in kind with Glasgow's fifth of the evening.

Rowe burst through for a magnificent try and although Beetham crossed for a late consolation, the game had long been over as a contest.

Emotional night for departing Warriors

Glasgow head coach Franco Smith told Premier Sports: "Obviously, we are happy, although it wasn't as fluent as we've been. There's still a bit of work to do.

"The determination to stay on top of the game was important."