But this was a real cracker of a match.  The first half finally silenced The Shed as the fancy boys from London, unbelievably, ran in four tries in the first half-hour with passion, determination, skill and invention.  The ball was moved through the hands with precision by forwards and backs alike.  Only three minutes into the game and Quins pressure brought a penalty that Malone slotted to open the scoring.  

David Strettle, having a second and devastating appearance at outside centre made the first of a number of brilliant runs through the Gloucester midfield. Although he was stopped, the ball was moved quickly right where Keogh finished the job by touching down for the first try in the right hand corner.  Malone missed the conversion from the touchline, kicking into the gusting wind. 

A few minutes later, with the first quarter of the match still in progress, Malone put an accurate grubber kick through the defence for Ugo Monye to collect and score.  Once again Malone had a touchline kick, from the left this time, and missed again.  Quins led 0 – 13.  The Shed was noticeably muted. 

Gloucester, of course, came back.  They manufactured a gap for Vainikolo on the left wing and he went through at speed to score.  Patterson converted and cut Quins’ lead to 7 – 13.  Then a dangerous tackle on Monye brought a yellow card.  Mr Rose, the referee, considered long and hard and Andy Hazell was fortunate the card was not red.

Reduced to fourteen men, Gloucester was under substantial pressure.  The Harlequin backs continued to run and throw the ball about with great skill.  Strettle, in particular, clearly frightened the defenders, who could not read his path and were fortunate to stop him. 

Then Malone sold the most outrageous dummy which the Gloucester backs bought with alacrity leaving the most enormous hole for the fly half to stroll through and touch down under the posts. The conversion was successful and the lead was 7 – 20.

A couple of successful kicks from Patterson reduced the arrears before Quins struck again. From an attacking lineout, Keogh cut through along the touchline to score his second and Harlequins’ bonus point try.  Once again the touchline kick from Malone missed its target, but at half-time the lead was twelve points 13 – 25..

The question uppermost in Harlequin supporters’ thoughts was could the team hold onto or increase the lead?  Could they win?  Gloucester was certainly not going to lie down and be walked over.  Despite early Quins pressure, it was the home side that struck as they manufactured a try that saw Tindall score under the posts and Patterson easily added the two points.  The gap was now only five points.

Encouraged by that success and scenting the possibility of victory, Gloucester threw themselves into the fray.  The moved play into the Quins’ twenty-two and Quins were defending desperately for long periods only a few metres from their try line.  Then first Andy Gomarsall was shown a yellow card for apparently going offside a long way away from the ruck where the ball was buried and only a minute or two later, from the middle of another ruck close to the posts, Ceri Jones too was shown a yellow card.  With Harlequins reduced to thirteen men, despite valiant efforts for long minutes by the Quins’ defenders it was inevitable that Gloucester would score.  Their principal heavy weapon, Vainikolo, eventually barged his way through to score.  Once again Patterson had an easy conversion and Gloucester had the lead.

When Harlequins were back to full strength they threw everything they could at Gloucester in an attempt to find a winning score.  Perhaps they were too anxious.  Unforced errors turned over ball.  An indiscreet swinging arm by Percival cost a good attacking position.  A poor pass above Malone’s head from So’oialo obviated a drop goal attempt.  Finally Malone had a drop goal attempt that just drifted away outside the posts and Gloucester had survived and won 27 – 25. 

This was certainly Harlequins finest performance this season and if it is a harbinger of things to come then the future is truly multi-coloured.

After the match Dean Richards was both disappointed by the result but pleased with the way the team had played.  He pointed the finger at the undue effect that the referee had upon the result, unhappy that Gloucester had only one penalty awarded against them after the break as they fought back with 14 unanswered points.

Richards felt Rose had not done his side any favours. "We got one penalty in the second half from a punch which was picked up by the tough judge," he said. "I don't know any side these days who can go through a half without giving a penalty away. It's incredible. I cannot understand it, but who am I to question the referee. They're always right."

"We always knew they had the ability to come back but it is difficult to take," said Richards. But there aren't many sides who get a bonus point in the first half at Kingsholm and we did pretty well getting that. Games like that are what it's all about. It was a fantastic atmosphere and you either grow in stature or you drift off. All of my boys came through with flying colours."

Gloucester Morgan; Simpson-Daniel, Tindall, Allen, Vainikolo; Paterson (Lamb 64), Cooper (Lawson 45); Collazo, Titterell (Azam 45), Nieto, James (Narraway 45), Bortolami, Buxton (capt; Strokosch 57), Hazell, Delve

Tries Vainikolo 2, Tindall Cons Paterson 3 Pens Paterson 2

Harlequins: Brown; Keogh (Turner-Hall 69), Strettle, Barry, Monye; Malone, Gomarsall (So'oialo 64); Jones, Fuga, Ross, Kohn, Spanghero, Robshaw, Volley (capt), Easter

Tries Keogh 2, Monye, Malone Con Malone Pen Malone

Referee D Rose

Attendance: 13506

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