“Being brutally honest, it was not good enough” says Smith after Glasgow loss as Edinburgh are also defeated in round four of the Celtic Challenge

Gary Heatly

Glasgow Warriors head coach Lindsey Smith did not hide her frustration after Sunday’s 57-31 Celtic Challenge loss away to Clovers.

The visitors conceded nine tries as they lost out in Belfast and things had got off to a bad start for Glasgow in the Affidea Stadium when Nicole Flynn was yellow carded after a head-on-head tackle after just 45 seconds.

It was 24-19 at the break and 57-31 at the end with Glasgow taking one bonus point from the round four clash.

Glasgow have now not won since round one of the six-team competition and Smith said:  “Being brutally honest, it was not good enough.

“We switched off for too long and we didn’t play our way. Some poor decision making put us under pressure and we were soft at times around the contact and tackle area.

“I think we showed that when we’re on the ball we’re dangerous, but we’re just not clinical enough for long enough. It was good to at least get a bonus point, but we’ll have a pretty honest review of this game coming up that’s for sure.”

Briar McNamara, Flynn (2), Emily Coubrough and co-captain Holland Bogan scored the Glasgow tries here with the other co-captain, Ceitidh Ainsworth, converting three of them.

Wolfhounds lead the way on 20 points from 20 in the tournament after a thumping 69-0 bonus point triumph over winless bottom side Brython Thunder at the same stadium earlier the same day.

The day before, Edinburgh Rugby lost 31-17 to Welsh side Gwalia Lightning at the CCB Centre for Sporting Excellence in Ystrad Mynach.

At one stage in the first half the visitors led 12-10, but then they lost Nicole Marlow to a yellow card for a deliberate offside, Gwalia scored to lead 17-12 at the interval and then took things on from there to secure a 31-17 bonus point triumph.

Cieron Bell, Aila Ronald and Hannah Ramsay were the Edinburgh try scorers with Lucy MacRae converting one.

It means Edinburgh have not won since round two and head coach Claire Cruikshank said:  “We are feeling a bit flat and deflated after that game.

“We were leading in the first half and we looked like we might come away with at least a losing bonus point in the second, so to head home with nothing in the end is disappointing.

“The girls put in a lot of hard work, especially defensively where some of the sets were outstanding, but Gwalia just shifted the momentum at key times and it hurt us.”

Glasgow are pictured in action at the Clovers – thanks to the IRFU