Match Centre: Champions Cup: Glasgow Warriors 19-28 Northampton Saints

Glasgow Warriors 19-28 Northampton Saints, Pool 3, Scotstoun Stadium

Tommy Freeman starred with a double as Northampton Saints edged out Glasgow Warriors with a 28-19 margin in the opening round of the Investec Champions Cup at Scotstoun Stadium.

Glasgow had a terrific start as Sebastian Cancelliere grabbed a pass from Alex Mitchell on the right wing to touchdown but Tom Jordan missed out on the conversion.

Northampton looked threatening with Freeman and Fraser Dingwall pushing forward and they were eventually rewarded in the 12th minute as George Hendy released Courtney Lawes to score in the left corner and Fin Smith kicked a touchline conversion and followed with a penalty goal in the 15th minute to make it 5-10.

The start of the second quarter saw Freeman crashed from close range but Smith failed to land the extras making it 5-15. Around the half hour mark, Glasgow lost a player temporarily with Scott Cummings sin-binned for recklessly jumping across a lineout as he fell on Alex Waller.

With the numerical advantage on their side, the Saints extended their lead further as Hendy spread the pass for Freeman to complete his second try and Smith landed the extras as the teams completed the opening half with a 5-22 scoreline.

Smith landed an early penalty in the second half with a three-pointer after Huw Jones was adjudged offside but his drop goal attempt drifted wide in the 50th minute. However, he was on target in the 57th minute after Northampton won a scrum penalty making it 5-28.

With 13 minutes left in the game, Glasgow narrowed down the gap with Ollie Smith galloped a pass on the left wing to score and Ross Thompson kicked the extras to make it 12-28 and the closing stage saw Northampton's Tarek Haffar sin-binned that also resulted in a penalty try for the hosts despite which the Saints completed a nine point victory.

Team line up:

Glasgow Warriors: McKay, Cancelliere, Jones, McDowall (c), Smith, Jordan, Kennedy; Bhatti, Matthews, Z Fagerson, Manjezi, Gray, Cummings, Darge, M Fagerson.

Reserves: Turner, McBeth, Sordoni, Williamson, Miller, Vailanu, Afshar, Thompson.

Northampton Saints: Furbank (c), Sleightholme, Freeman, Dingwall, Hendy, F Smith, Mitchell; Waller, Langdon, Hill, Lockett, Moon, Lawes, Scott-Young, Graham.

Reserves: R Smith, Haffar, Davison, Mayanavanua, Pearson, James, Litchfield, Seabrook.