Franco Smith reacts to Glasgow Warriors whitewash as one aspect of Scarlets defeat branded 'strange'

Scarlets captain Josh MacLeod and Macs Page both scored tries as the hosts secured their first win of the season at the fifth attempt against an out-of-sorts Warriors.

MacLeod went over in the first half and centre Page in the second, while stand-off Sam Costelow was in fine form with the boot, landing two conversions and three penalties.

Scarlets remain bottom of the table, but finally got their season up and running following four straight defeats, while Warriors are now fifth.

The hosts led 13-0 at half-time through MacLeod’s converted try – the flanker was driven over from close range following a line-out – and two penalties from Costelow.

Centre Macs Page followed up to go over for Scarlets’ second try soon after the interval after Tommy Lewis had gathered a kick ahead, and Costelow’s brilliant touchline conversion extended his side’s lead to 20-0.

Costelow landed his third penalty in the 67th minute before Scarlets’ replacement second row Harvey Cuckson was sent to the sin-bin, but the Warriors could not make their extra man count in the final nine minutes and slipped to their second defeat of the season.

“First I have to compliment Scarlets – they were way more determined than us, which is strange,” Glasgow head coach Franco Smith told Premier Sports.

“We came here with enough confidence to roll out a better performance than we did. They were just excellent. They defended well, they got all the scraps, they won the aerial battle, they won the penalty count.

“I’m not going to make excuses. There’s obviously a lot of work for us to gel everybody back in who have not been in our environment now for four weeks.

“Obviously tonight was that wake-up call, if I can put it that way. We definitely lost the aerial game and then a lot of turnovers at the breakdown.

“Every team is going to have one game like this. It happens. It’s good for the players, it’s good for all of us in the coaching group to reset and rethink and it will serve as motivation.”

Warriors will welcome back a number of Scotland internationals for the visit to Sale Sharks in the Investec Champions Cup on Friday.