Aviva Premiership: Harlequins reach play-offs after handsome win at Worcester
Harlequins secured their place in the Aviva Premiership play-offs thanks to a 42-26 comeback victory at Worcester.
Last Updated: 20/04/13 6:29pm
The Warriors, who parted company with their head coach Richard Hill earlier this week, were determined to make their final home game of the campaign a memorable one and looked on course for an upset.
However, two tries apiece from scrum-half Danny Care and Nick Evans made sure the Londoners came away with the points at Sixways.
The game was finely poised at the break and the boot of Andy Goode put the hosts six-points clear early in the second half. But Quins always had the edge in terms of creativity as they charged away in the last 30 minutes.
Josh Drauniniu raced 40 metres before releasing Chris Pennell to celebrate his 100th appearance for the club with an excellent try to open the scoring.
Goode converted before Evans put the visitors on the scoreboard with a simple penalty and then the fly-half brushed past some weak tackling for the try which he converted.
A penalty from Goode brought the scores level at the end of the first quarter before the Warriors regained the lead. Alex Grove charged away and kicked ahead before nailing Care, who was penalised for not releasing and Goode kicked another goal.
Quins regained the lead after a clever pass from an alert Care gave Tom Williams the chance to dash in at the corner for the try which Evans was unable to convert.
Forward drive
The visitors extended their lead when Care took advantage of a strong forward drive to avoid Goode's tackle and nip over for the try before a third penalty from Goode restricted their lead to 20-16 at the interval.
And a minute into the second period Pennell evaded three defenders on a 50-metre run before presenting Grove with the scoring pass. Goode converted and quickly added another penalty to give the hosts a 26-20 lead.
Quins responded with their bonus point try and once again Maurie Fa'asavalu was the catalyst; the flanker tore away from a ruck on halfway to make 40 metres, with Care again on hand to collect although Evans missed his kick.
The Londoners then suffered a big blow when they lost skipper Chris Robshaw, who was helped from the field with a leg injury.
But that only appeared to spur them on as Evans charged down a clearance kick for a try which he converted to give the Quins a nine-point advantage going into the last 10 minutes, before their sixth try from Mike Brown sealed victory.