Quins earn win at Sixways

Harlequins picked up a well-deserved 26-22 win over Worcester to collect their fifth consecutive victory at Sixways.

The visitors overcame the loss of Nick Easter to a leg injury before half-time to hand Worcester with their first home defeat of the Guinness Premiership season.

Despite the departure of the number eight Quins will be delighted to get back to winning ways following a hard-fought Heineken Cup defeat to Toulouse.

The hosts did pick up a losing bonus point with a converted try just before the final whistle, but they were second best for much of the 80 minutes.

Pressure

Quins had failed to capitalise from the first chance of the game, with Nick Evans kicking wide just three minutes into the first half.

Continued pressure from the visitors saw them take the lead two minutes later, though, with Danny Care going over. Keeping possession via a line-out five metres from the Worcester line, the scrum-half picked up from the back of the ruck to score, with Evans converting.

Worcester responded almost immediately when George Robson was penalised for killing the ball at a ruck, and Willie Walker made the most of the chance by kicking the penalty.

Quins restored their advantage minutes later, though, when Evans kicked another penalty, after an illegal tackle by Rico Gear.

The Warriors suffered another blow when Tevita Taumoepeau was forced to leave the field with a hand injury after 19 minutes.

Quins looked the more dominant side but it was Worcester who got the next score when Walker kicked a penalty with 12 minutes to go to half time.

The visitors lost captain Easter after half an hour and the sin-binning of Ceri Jones following a line-out saw things go from bad to worse.

But Walker missed with the resulting kick and, despite their numerical advantage, a drop goal by the number 10 just before the break was all the home side could add with 15 against 14.

Walker reduced the deficit to one point with a penalty after 45 minutes to reward the hosts for their renewed vigour after the half-time interval.

Super sub

They kept that advantage when Evans failed to take his chance with a 40-metre penalty attempt and then soon afterwards missed with a long-range drop goal, which was virtually his last act before he limped off to be replaced by Rory Clegg.

The replacement fly-half got down to business straight away, kicking a penalty and then adding the conversion to a try from Mike Brown just two minutes later.

Quins went into the final stages with a healthy 23 - 12 lead, which Walker reduced slightly with a simple three points nine minutes from time.

However Clegg replied with a penalty for the visitors before Worcester's continued pressure was rewarded with a last-minute try from replacement Callum Black, securing his team something for their efforts.