Quins edge out Gloucester

Harlequins overcame a blistering comeback from Gloucester to triumph in an exciting seven-try Guinness Premiership clash at The Stoop.

A battling performance saw the home team emerge as bonus-point victors, with All Blacks fly-half Nick Evans notching up an impressive personal tally of 20 points.

There was drama early on when Gloucester lost Will James to a leg injury only five minutes in, with the lock having to be stretchered from the field and replaced by Adam Eustace.

The visitors bounced back from their loss by upping the pace and Quins conceded a penalty for offside at nine minutes, which Freddie Burns sent over from close range to open up an advantage for Gloucester.

The 14th minute saw further success for the visiting team when admirable passing from midfield out to the right saw captain Gareth Delve racing up the wing.

Delve charged past two men on his sprint to the line, despite being dragged down from the behind, and managed to ground the ball for the first try of the game, which Burn failed to convert.

Response

Quins responded at 19 minutes with a try following a direct break from Danny Care, with George Lowe touching down between the posts.

Gloucester claimed their second try in the 23rd minute when Charlie Sharples and Quins full-back Mike Brown both went for the ball as it crossed the line, but referee Tim Wigglesworth ruled in the Gloucester wing's favour. Burns again missed the conversion.

Evans brought the hosts level with two goals in as many minutes, striking with a 29th minute penalty and following it up with another only seconds later to make the score 13-13.

The equal footing was short-lived however, with Gloucester storming back to reclaim their lead after 34 minutes when Burns redeemed himself to fire home a 30 yard penalty.

Solo try

The first-half was wrapped up by Evans, who secured an outstanding solo try but missed the conversion.

Quins claimed a third try six minutes after the break with skipper Nick Easter scoring behind the posts and Evans converting.

Five minutes later the home side had earned a four-try bonus point and the 12,000 strong crowd went wild as Lowe landed his second try and Evans converted once again.

Gloucester were by no means finished and Nick Robinson reduced the gap after 54 minutes with a close-range penalty before their hopes were boosted further by the sin-binning of Quins lock James Percival for ball-killing.

The visitors took a scrum from the penalty and Sharples scored his second try when a long-range pass was aimed wide to the right, with Robinson converting to make it 32-26.

Evans concluded an astounding personal effort at 29 minutes with a penalty, before Robinson came back with a 75th minute goal, which again narrowed the lead but could not salvage the match for the visitors.