It was a game that saw Quins continue failing to complete opportunities by converting them into points.  Had they done so a win or a draw would have been the result.  It started brightly enough with Quins pressing into Saracens’ territory and after a very few minutes gaining a penalty which Jarvis kicked successfully to open the scoring.

A fine break by Danny Care took play deep into the homes side’s twenty-two and continued pressure produced an attacking lineout only for Quins to knock-on the catch and concede a penalty from the resulting scrum.  Opportunity missed and Saracens given the opportunity to gain considerable territory and attack.  Another penalty conceded allowed the home team an attacking five-metre lineout, but fortunately Robson stole the thrown ball and provided some relief.  It was short-lived as another penalty conceded allowed Gordon Ross to level the score at 3 – 3 after nineteen minutes.

Having opened their score encouraged Saracens. Continued pressure and Quins’ errors gave Ross opportunities to kick two more penalties and put Saracens into the lead 9 – 3.  A quickly tapped penalty and a fine break by Danny Care took Quins into their opponents twenty-two where a high tackle stopped him.  Jarvis took the points from the resulting penalty to reduce the lead to 9 – 6 as the half was ending.  There was, however, still time for Saracens to score again and they did so from a fine flowing backs move which ended with Adam Powell scoring a good try and with Ross adding the conversion they led 16 – 6 at the break.

Quins made a number of substitutions at half time. So’oialo, Brooker and Manyika replaced Williams, Fuga and Jarvis. Jewell took over the kicking duties and Care moved to the left wing with Amesbury dropping to full-back.  A fine Quins attack led by Brooker and continued by Sargeant found Saracens offside and Jewell took the points with a good kick although he missed another shortly after.

Another attack produced another penalty and a yellow card for one of the Saracens’ locks.  This time Quins went for the corner and although the lineout was well defended Quins retained the ball in the ruck that followed. So’oialo collected the ball and darted through and round to score under the posts. Jewell added the two points and again the scores were level at 16 – 16

Saracens response was determined and despite handling errors, or perhaps because of them, and still being reduced to fourteen men, created an overlap and scored in the right corner.  Ross missed with the conversion.  The next Quins’ attack saw Saracens reduced still further to thirteen as their substitute hooker was shown a yellow card for coming at the side of a ruck.

Quins took the penalty with kick to the corner.  A throw to the front man in the line and a quick return to Brooker saw the hooker dive over in the corner for the try which levelled the score at 21 – 21.  Jewell missed the difficult conversion attempt.

Saracens were now back to fourteen and working hard to create an opening in the Quins’ defence.  A penalty 30 metres out was missed by Ross and then it was the turn of Quins to collect a yellow card as Brooker was binned.

With about ten minutes remaining Saracens fashioned the winning try.  Good passing and a flowing backs move again created an overlap and a try behind the posts.  The easy conversion gave them a 28 – 21 lead.

In the time remaining Quins tried very hard for an equalising score.  A series of penalties were kicked for attacking lineouts.  On each occasion their catch and drive was frustrated and in the end time ran out without the addition of any score leaving Quins with a bonus point. 

Quins are now one point ahead of Wasps but have played two games more.  Quins still have to play Wasps twice in games that have been postponed.  The next match in this league is on Monday next at Imber Court when the opponents are Bristol United. 

Harlequins :: 15.Tom Williams, 14. Charlie Amesbury, 13. Hal Luscombe, 12. Tosh Masson, 11.Seb Stegmann, 10. Adrian Jarvis, 9. Danny Care, 1. Aston Croall,  2. Tani Fuga, 3. Ricky Nebbett, 4. James Percival, 5. George Robson, 6. Phil Davies, 7. Tom Sargeant, 8. Tom Guest
Replacements: 16. Chris Brooker, 17. Dan Frazier, 18. Nicolas Spanghero, 19. Simon Gaynor, 20. Steven So'oialo, 21. Seb Jewell, 22. Ryan Manyika

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• January 2008 at Harlequins

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