However, Quins are certainly capitalising on their premiership home games during the world cup, though Mark Evans will surely be thinking the tournament in France/Wales/Scotland can’t end soon enough, given that the Stoop was again far from full – with an official attendance of 7,732.

Perhaps only our neighbours in the London Borough of High Wycombe, currently propping up the table with Worcester, will want it to end sooner. Following the English and French quarter final wins, Ibanez, Vickery, Dallagio, Shaw, Sackey, Lewsey, Rees and Worsley will still be in Paris either for the final or the 3/4 place play-off. If memory serves, Wasps were the last team to beat Quins at home in the league. Now is clearly a good time to be playing them.

In the meantime, Quins continue to get along without Nick Easter and Andy Gomarsall, thanks to the great form of Tom Guest and, on Saturday, the returning Steve So’oialo who made his mark, scoring two tries.

Tani Fuga was also back into the front row and was in amongst it straight away, with his trademark all-action game.

Malone was given the chance to open the scoring on 10 minutes after Bristol held on in the tackle but pushed his kick wide. But then on the quarter hour more Quins pressure in the Bristol 22 saw So’oialo break from the back of the scrum to go over and give his fly half an easy conversion. A confident start and 7-0.

Robshaw did well from the restart and Williams made a good chase from Malone’s clearance, pushing the home team back deep into Bristol territory. From an attacking scrum, another Bristol infringement was again unpunished as the Quins number 10 missed his second penalty chance. Whatever Stirling Mortlock had earlier on was catching.

Then Bristol made their first real incision through the Quins midfield from Taumololu who sent a lovely long pass out wide to Lemi on the left wing. A poor conversion attempt followed but Bristol were back in the game at 7-5.

On 28 minutes there was sign of the game heating up. Bristol’s skipper Salter found himself under a maul and a few Quins boots. He wasn’t happy and at the following maul appeared ready for some retribution.

A minute later Malone hoisted the ball left and Guest pulled off a wonderful catch and offload to put Keogh away. Again the extras were easy for the fly half and Quins appeared on course for another bonus point win at 14-5.

Another drive into Bristol’s 22 set Malone up for a drop goal to make it 17-5 but almost immediately the visitors came back and won a penalty. Dave Hill missed but the referee decided to give him another go, after taking a dislike to a volley of words from somewhere in the Quins camp. The kick was brought further forward and this time Hill made certain to bring the score back to 17-8 at half time.

Guest was putting himself about in the loose, proving that Quins have a lot of quality in their back row. With Hala’Ufia back, and Easter still to return, number 8 is a tough place to get a game these days. Hala’Ufia did briefly replace Guest on 48 minutes for a blood injury.

Malone found a second chance for a drop goal though he missed again and it was turning into a pretty mixed day for the Australian who has started the season in such good form.

On 55 minutes another Bristol penalty put them within a score at 17-11 and they were starting to believe that they could get something from the game. They pinched a Quins line out and won another penalty when the maul was pulled down. This time they went for the corner but there was relief for Quins as the throw in was not straight.

Guest returned from the blood-bin and then came the decisive score for the home side which initially came from a Bristol break. Jordan Turner-Hall missed the tackle on his opposite number but then came a loose pass which he intercepted and ran clear. Though he did not quite have enough gas in the tank to make the line he worked a good exchange of passes with Luscombe and So’oialo was backing up well to run in under the posts. Again Malone converted to make it 24-11. With over 10 minutes to go, a fourth try for a third consecutive home maximum return looked likely.

At that point however, it was to be Bristol who finished the game stronger. First Lemi again crossed the Quins line, but a cracking tackle from Robshaw held him up.

Then with four minutes left and the game seemingly safely in the bag, Arscott burst through several tackles to take Bristol almost the length of the field and score. Strange converted and it was 24-18.

Malone had one more chance with a penalty to snatch back Bristol’s bonus point which would have been tough on the West Countrymen but he missed again.

Harlequins:
Tries: So’oialo (2), Keogh. Conversions: Malone (3). Drop Goal: Malone.

Bristol:
Tries: Lemi, Arscott. Penalties: Hill, Strange. Conversion: Strange.

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon

Related Articles:

• October 2007 at Harlequins
• Tries Scored 2007/8
• Harlequin 1st & 2nd XV Fixtures 2007/8
• Guinness Premiership Table 2007/8

SPORTNETWORK SPECIALS

Harlequins Poll