Both sides began strongly with Bristol attempting bold early attacks that were pushed back by a solid Harlequins defence.  Indeed the defence was to prove the foundation for Quins as they kept Bristol pinned well back and eventually forced an early penalty chance for Chris Malone who played one game for Bristol whilst on loan from B**h.  He was surprisingly wide with the straightforward opening chance but the early pattern had been set.  Another penalty was sent down into the Bristol 22 and the Quins pack drove from the lineout.  As the ball was mauled in field and towards the try line the Quins scrum-half, Steve So'oialo, sported a gap in the Bristol defence, took the ball off the back and sprinted over by the posts.  There was no mistake from Malone this time and Bristol were  7 - 0 down with a quarter of an hour played.

Bristol were under intense pressure and only Harlequins errors allowed them to stay in the game at this stage.  A fine kick put the Bristol defence in all sorts of problems and some desperate scrambling cover by Brian O'Riordan gave a brief respite.  Still Quins had the scrum just metres out and Bristol gave away a penalty.  Fortunately the visiting side were let off when Malone again missed the kick.  Harlequins kept up the territorial pressure with an astute kick-and-chase game that looked similar to some recent tactics in the World Cup.  Against the run of play, then, Bristol were back in the game  when Josh Taumalolo motored on to a lovely pass from David Hill that set him free in lots of space.  He passed out to David Lemi who sped in wide out on the left.  It was 7 - 5 as the difficult conversion attempt sailed wide as the second quarter began.  Despite this blow, Quins struck back with a well judged cross-field kick from Malone that seemed to confuse the Bristol defence.  Tom Guest latched on and fed Simon Keogh who was able sprint in from 20 or so metres and the conversion made it 14 - 5.  Bristol struggled to gain possession and were penalised as they tried to ruck the ball.  The Quins pack drove the ball into the heart of the Bristol defence and Malone made no mistake with a tidy drop goal to take Harlequins to a deserved 17 - 5 lead with six minutes of the half to go.  Bristol, to their credit,  were still attempting to play some good rugby and Quins gave away a kickable penalty chance for offside.  Hill was off target with his effort but had another chance as the referee heard some ill-disciplined back-chat from a Quins player.  This  time there was no mistake and Quins went in to half time with a narrower lead of 17 - 8.

Bristol reshuffled at half-time with Jason Strange coming on at fly-half for the frankly disappointing Hill who, surprisingly, appeared to go to full-back.  Bristol certainly looked more threatening and organised with Strange on.  However, they were further disrupted as Sam Cox had to be replaced by Neil Brew.  Graeme Beveridge also came on for Rob Higgitt but went to the wing.  He was to make an immediate contribution as he made a fine break down the left wing and chipped over the defence.  The ball was sweetly picked up by Lemi who went over for what looked like a try.  Sadly the touch judge felt that the kick had been made with a foot in touch.  So Quins escaped with a lineout.  Bristol were encouraged and Strange added a penalty to further reduce the gap to 17 - 11 when a Quins forward was offside at a ruck.

This resurgence was halted when the Harlequins centre, Jordan Turner-Hall intercepted a sloppy pass on his own 22 and made a superb break to within 5 metres of the Bristol line.  He managed to get the ball to So'oialo who nipped over.  Malone duly converted for a 24 - 11 lead.  Bristol tried to come back from this disappointment and Brew went close before Lemi appeared to cross the line under the defender only for the referee to rule that he had, in fact, been held up.  There was still time for Bristol to cause Quins some nerves as the ball went was taken by Tom Arsscott coming into the line and taking the ball at pace.  He powerfully handed off the first defender to accelerate into space and the neatly stepped round the next defender to speed in under the posts for a great try that Strange converted to bring the score to 24 - 18 with just three minutes to go.

Harlequins refused to be cowed and finished the game strongly with their forwards holding on to possession and forcing a late penalty chance that Malone kicked narrowly wide at the close. 

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