Having topped the desk going into the penultimate weekend of the common season, Glasgow had dropped to fourth after a dangerous capitulation in opposition to the Lions in South Africa final day trip.
Leinster’s 33-7 win over Connacht means the Irish facet lead Glasgow on factors distinction, that means Glasgow should now hope Munster fail to beat Ulster whereas Bulls additionally fall brief in opposition to Sharks to safe a top-two end.
However this was actually about Warriors rediscovering their mojo earlier than subsequent weekend’s house quarter-final they usually took barely three minutes to rise up and operating, Bhatti touching down to complete off a rolling line-out maul.
A scrappy 20 minutes ensued and it was Zebre, with just one win to their identify all season, who had the higher of the territory and possession and a brace of penalties from Montemauri purchased the Italians again inside some extent.
3 times Glasgow thought that they had scored their second attempt solely to be denied. Cancelliere spilled a bouncing ball over the tryline, a Rowe attempt was dominated out by the TMO for crossing within the build-up and Sione Tuipulotu was held up over the road.
Lastly, Warriors went over once more when Matthews took up his trademark place in the back of the maul to dot down for his thirteenth URC do this season.
A monster penalty from full-back Trulla from inside his personal half diminished the arrears and the full-back was instrumental because the guests struck within the last play of the first-half to go away Scotstoun surprised.
Some sensible footwork from Trulla opened up the Glasgow defence and the ball was ultimately fed to Miontemauri to dive over within the nook. The fly-half transformed his personal attempt splendidly from the touchline and despatched his facet in 16-12 up on the break.
Warriors have been toiling till Tuipulotu seized on a free ball, bounced off a defender and despatched Rowe in below the posts for a attempt that drew an enormous sigh of aid from the house assist.
That aid lasted no time in any respect as a cross from Rory Darge in his personal 22 was picked off by reverse quantity Bravin, who ran in untouched to wrestle the lead again for Zebre.
Glasgow lastly strung some phases collectively and, when the ball was spun out to Cancelliere, the Argentine saved his cool to go over for the bonus-point attempt.
George Horne’s conversion edged the house facet in entrance by some extent, however Montemauri struck once more from the tee and Warriors have been staring down the barrel of a shock defeat.
It was time to revert to the tried and examined as Matthews rumbled over in the back of the rolling maul as soon as once more to the touch down for his second attempt.
Substitute Jordan crossed within the last play so as to add some gloss to the scoreline, however Warriors obtained away with one right here.
Regardless of their opponents in subsequent week’s quarter-final, a repeat efficiency will certainly deliver their URC problem to an abrupt finish.