ALEX DUNBAR says tonight's Heineken Cup visit of Ulster is the pivotal game in Glasgow's Pool Four campaign.

After the gutsy 24-15 defeat by English Premiership leaders Northampton last Sunday, Warriors simply must beat the only undefeated team in Europe if their dream of making the knockout stage is not to be ended in the first third.

The 22-year-old's centre partnership with the mercurial Peter Horne is likely to play a key part in Glasgow's offensive plans.

And, as he looked forward to Warriors' first-ever Heineken Cup- tie at Scotstoun, there was no doubting Dunbar's determination to post a victory.

He said: "We know this is the vital tie. The bottom line in the Heineken Cup is that you must win at home. Given the fact we lost at Northampton and failed to claim a bonus point, there is even more onus on us to get that win.

"We have already played Ulster and lost to them at Ravenhill in the opening game of the RaboDirect PRO12, so we feel we have a point to prove as we were not at our best in that one.

"They have improved since then and are unbeaten, including a great win over Castres in their opening Pool game.

"But we have also improved and, if we can replicate the form we produced in the first 35 minutes at Northampton for the full 80 minutes tonight, we will give ourselves a great chance.

"Scotstoun is on course for a sell-out and they have had to erect an extra stand so the atmosphere should be electric. It is up to us to give the fans something to get involved with."

Warriors' impressive efforts at Franklin's Garden's were largely undone by the backline injuries to Sean Lamont, Ruaridh Jackson and Stuart Hogg that completely disrupted their line-up.

While Hoggy and Jacko have shaken off leg and hip injuries to return to the starting side, the inspirational Lamont remains sidelined. That will place even more emphasis on Dunbar's centre pairing with Horne to produce something exceptional tonight.

Dunbar said: "I guess we do have different styles of play and so far we have complemented each other.

"We are both young guys who have come through the system and the opportunity to play for Glasgow in such a massive European tie is something you dream about.

"Hopefully we can come up with something between us, but it is great news that Hoggy and Jacko have recovered from their injuries. It was so frustrating that all our good work at Northampton was undone by the level of injury we sustained in the backline.

"If we get the win, we are right back in things and it would give us a tremendous launchpad for the rest of the campaign, both in Europe and the PRO12."

Meanwhile, Warriors' head coach Gregor Townsend said: "This is another landmark night for the club and we're all absolutely determined to claim what would be a vital victory. We know that to get the win we need to produce a complete performance over the full 80 minutes and that is something I believe we can do."

He will have to do it without winger Tommy Seymour, who has been handed a one-match suspension after being cited for an alleged dangerous "tip" tackle on Northampton's Vasily Artemyev.

He pleaded not guilty to foul play at a disciplinary hearing in Dublin, but independent judicial officer Simon Thomas upheld the citing complaint.