It was a cagey affair from the first whistle as it soon became clear tries would be at a premium, with the Blues' indiscipline at the breakdown ultimately giving Horne repeated chances to get points on the board.
While Horne drew the plaudits for his scoring exploits the Warriors forward pack and prop Mike Cusack in particular were dominant and the Blues struggled at the set-piece as a result, which Townsend believes was the crucial difference between the teams.
"Our scrum was absolutely outstanding. Mike Cusack is going from strength to strength for us and once more delivered when it counted," he said.
"The pack overall were first class and put us in a great position to go on and win the game.
"Without ever really cutting loose, we controlled the game and showed excellent discipline and determination.
"Peter Horne kicked very well and also showed his ability in a lot of other facets.
"It's great to get the win, and we now start preparing for what will be a huge test next Sunday in Northampton."
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