Glasgow Warriors accomplished both their missions by retaining the 1872 Cup and going clear into second place in the Rabodirect PRO12 by beating Edinburgh in front of a record Scotstoun crowd.
Two late tries from Tim Visser made it look closer than it was, but the Warriors had ticked off all their requirements with fully half an hour to play and the late scores were just a minor irritation.
Full-back Peter Murchie scored two tries but the star turn was centre Mark Bennett, who made a try, scored another and perhaps crucially saved one midway through the first half when Edinburgh looked like they were about to gain ascendancy.
Ruaridh Jackson and Rob Harley were Glasgow’s other try-scorers, but it was a careless defensive display in giving up four tries to Edinburgh.
Visser’s brace, Matt Scott and Willem Nel scored for Edinburgh with Grieg Laidlaw a perfect six from six on his return from his sabbatical as the capital side left with two points but still no win in Glasgow since 2003.
If there were any early derby nerves by the Warriors, they were dispelled by a shocking start by Edinburgh, who made a catalogue of errors helping the home side to an 11-0 advantage.
Missed touches, dropped balls and silly penalties brought two strikes for Finn Russell and an unconverted try for Peter Murchie, the full-back twisting over from close range.
Edinburgh quickly regathered themselves, making ground through strike weapons Matt Scott and Tim Visser, but it was prop Willem Nel in his 50th appearance who squirmed over at the corner, Laidlaw converting.
And Edinburgh should have taken the lead when Scott again broke the line, his centre partner Andries Strauss only just forced into touch by a despairing try-saving tackle from Bennett.
Laidlaw kicked a penalty for offside earlier in the move, but Edinburgh’s defence was pierced twice before the break with Bennett the constant threat.
The young centre cut a great line off his left foot that only a high tackle from Izak Van Der Westhuizen could stop, but Ruaridh Jackson finished off the move by going over from close range.
Laidlaw landed an easy penalty but before half-time the Warriors were rewarded for choosing the lineout over a kickable penalty and no-one could stop Bennett from scoring close to the posts.
Russell’s conversion had Glasgow 23-13 ahead with three of the four tries needed and they thought they had it two minutes into the second half when Chris Fusaro got to the line, only for the TV official to spot an obstruction.
The bonus try was only delayed momentarily, as the Glasgow forwards and backs put together a brilliant series of off-loads to take them from halfway to the Edinburgh line, and Murchie strolled over for his second try against the fractured defence, converted by Russell.
Scott wrestled over for Edinburgh’s second try, converted by Laidlaw, but any Warrior worries of a comeback were ended when Rob Harley finished off replacement Richie Vernon’s break under the posts, Russell converting.
Att 8855
Glasgow: P Murchie; S Maitland, M Bennett (R Vernon 72), F Russell, T Seymour; R Jackson (D Weir 77), C Cusiter (N Matawalu 61); R Grant (J Yanuyanutawa 77), D Hall (P MacArthur 50), J Welsh (M Low 61); J Gray, A Kellock (capt, L Nakarawa 61)); R Harley, C Fusaro (R Wilson 61), J Strauss.
Edinburgh: J Cuthbert; T Brown, M Scott, A Strauss (S Beard 51), T Visser; C Bezuidenhout, G Laidlaw (capt); A Dickinson, R Ford (J Hilterbrand 77), W Nel; G Gilchrist, I Van Der Westhuizen (T Leonardi 51); M Coman (B Toolis 77), C Du Preez, D Denton.
Ref: M Raynal (FFR)