If you haven’t seen the result...we won.

From an overcast sky the sun suddenly broke through just before kick-off, a swirling breeze would make kicking tricky but the conditions were right for a fast game . Both teams lined up for a minutes silence to remember Geoffrey Morey. After the whistle the stadium went from a silence in which you could hear a pin drop to a full throated roar which would continue for the rest of the match, and I was scribbling wildly in my pale purple notebook (it was cheap, that’s my story and I’m sticking with it). 

From the kick off both sides tried to kill each other when they didn’t have the ball. The ball viciously refused to go to touch when kicked. Care kept scampering around while Glos looked confused until they found someone they could hit. AJ tried to lure the visitors into a false sense of security by endeavouring to miss a penalty and the trick worked insofar as the ref gave another penalty from roughly the same place which he converted with ease 3-0.

A short while later and Glos managed to get the lead. AJ looked around until he had the full attention of the visitors, and then kicked it directly at the nearest Glos player. Unfortunately the ball failed to pass through the player and was picked up by Adams, who then scampered at high speed to score (a blatant block on AJ not withstanding). The conversion was missed 3-5.

From the kick-off Ugo collected as dainty a chip (so delicate and well placed it could have been silver service) and, with go-faster stripe twinkling in the sunshine endeavoured to get over the Glos try line. Tackled just short, back-up arrived and Danny tried to go for it, however he couldn’t get there and recycled to Ceri who went over and thanks to the eagle eyes of the ref its try time, and finally the cheers go up. The conversion was good 10-5.

Now Glos wake up. The ball goes backwards and forwards until a flying jump by Brown sees the ball bouncing off all four limbs for the Volcano to pick-up and go through a number of Quins players. Brought down by Williams the Volcano coughs up the ball and a quick ball sees Balshaw over. The conversion is good and its 10-12. Now the attack comes in thick and fast from Glos and a penalty goes to Glos for holding on, Walker converts to make it 10-15.

The pressure comes from Glos again. A bad clearance keeps the pressure on and JSD gave a hugely dangerous run finished by Allen for another try again a missed conversion left the score at 10-20.

Now usually Quins start walking towards the changing room at this point allowing the opposition to score and put the match out of sight but not today. Danny Care parts the red and white sea to offload to Brown who descends on the try line like an enraged prophet to score under the posts. AJ was successful with the conversion 17-20.

Half time. 

The lovely ladies were back at half time to do their dance routines on the centre spot and most fans took the break to top up on the drinks or to try to raise the water table.

Half time over and both teams make changes, Percival coming off to be replaced by Robson for Quins and Foster replacing Adams for Glos. The ball goes to and fro while Deano menaces the touchline. Care with the best break leads to a knock-on and then a menacing attack from Glos. The game takes on a feel of Wimbledon with the attacks going back and forward.  Worryingly for Quins, Luscombe comes off with what looked like a broken hand and is replaced by De Wet Barry. 

A Glos penalty is missed thankfully and Quins have yet another 22 drop-out. Brown is taken out in the air almost immediately and AJ kicks to touch. Again Glos pressure leads to a penalty however Walker decides that the posts are too dangerous and kicks for touch. The subsequent line-out is won by Quins and Glos concede a penalty. For the sky viewer there was a touching scene featuring our very own horned helmet. With play continuing more penalties ensue.

Now Glos decide to beat up AJ and are penalised. From the resulting penalty AJ slots it over and we’re level 20-20. It’s back and forth play. Balshaw does his best to help by running straight under the high ball in his enthusiasm to hit a multi-coloured one and forgetting to get the ball first. Seconds later Brown shows how it’s done by catching and calling the mark. From the tap the pass goes to Tom W who slices out to touch. A few phases later JSD wriggles his way through to score. The conversion is missed 20-25.

Almost immediately Quins attack. There is a mass push on the line which is judged not to go over and play is brought back for an earlier penalty. The ball is kicked out for a 5 metre throw but despite Quin’s trying to introduce their opponents to the Quin’s Head, repeatedly Glos hold out and eventually ball goes to Glos.  The ping pong continues until the Glos 18 tries to decapitate Danny Care. AJ slots the resulting penalty through 23-25. 

The ball goes to and fro again ending up with Quins attacking all along the Glos line. Robson decides, eventually, enough is enough and speeds through to score. Molly converts so the score is 30-25 with less than five minutes to go. Despite trying to give the author heart failure Quins hold on to record a famous victory.

At the press conference later Dean Richards credited the team as having matured over the last three and a half years and in response to a cheeky question on whether Quins would win the Premiership would only say that he’s taking it one game at a time. Dean Ryan rued lost opportunities and said they’d been forced into a game style they didn’t want to play and they should have restricted the fragmented style of play.

I think that the game could be summed up with the fact that westquin having a spare ticket asked if anyone would be interested in coming to the game. A colleague (who’s Swiss and never been to a match) said he’d be interested. By the second half this guy was jumping up and down and screaming along like he’d been a Quin’s fan for years.  If every game was like this we could sell out HQ every game.

Well done Quins, now the small matter of  Wasps next week.

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