Harlequins' first league win since mid-November and their first bonus points
for six matches lifted the club off the foot of the Zurich Premiership.
A five-star, four-try performance ended the hopes of Newcastle Falcons and
gave the London side a lift in their battle to avoid the drop.
The home side got off to an ideal start after two minutes with a Paul Burke
penalty from 40 metres.
Shortly afterwards Burke's delicate chip into the left hand corner earned the
home team another penalty that they chose to kick for the line-out - and the big
drive saw Adrian Olver score the first try, and with Burke's conversion Quins
were 10-0 up.
Three minutes later though Johnny Wilkinson started the comeback with a mazy
30-yard diagonal run into the right corner, before slipping a reverse pass to
centre Michael Stephenson, who touched down. Wilkinson converted to make it
10-7.
Shortly afterwards Wilkinson added a drop goal to level matters but in a
pulsating opening Paul Burke added a penalty to give the home side a narrow
13-10 advantage.
Wilkinson levelled matters midway through the half with a penalty and the
visitors comfortably dealt with everything the home side could throw at them
until seconds before the half time whistle.
England centre Will Greenwood's crossfield kick found Steve White-Cooper in
acres of space and his try, converted by Burke, allowed the home team to turn
around 20-13 ahead.
Wilkinson added a drop goal early in the second period but the game turned on
an interception try from Harlequins centre Chris Bell, who powered in from 75
yards after intercepting a pass from Newcastle's Andy Mower.
Burke and Wilkinson traded penalties for a second time on the hour mark to
keep the home side nine points ahead.
And they sealed matters in the 64th minute when they once again set up a
driving maul from a line-out close to the visitors line.
Former Oxford University star Luke Sherriff was driven over for the
all-important fourth try that earned them a bonus point and lifted them off the
foot of the table.
Teams:
Harlequins: Gollings, Jewell, Greenwood, Bell, Moore, Burke,
Duncombe, Leonard, Wood, Olver, Codling, White-Cooper, Winters,
Tamarua, Diprose.
Replacements: J. Powell for Duncombe (48),
Morgan for Codling (75), Sheriff for Tamarua (10).
Not Used: Fuga, Starr, Mapletoft, Luger.
Tries: Olver, Codling, Bell, Sheriff.
Cons: Burke 2.
Pens: Burke 3.
Newcastle: D. Richardson, MacLure, Stephenson, May, Botham,
Wilkinson, Charlton, Ward, Brotherstone, Peel, Vyvyan, Grimes,
Taione, Mower, Arnold, Thompson.
Replacements: Tuigamala for MacLure (63),
Thompson for Brotherstone (72), Devonshire for Mower (63),
Lam for Arnold (72), Brotherstone for Thompson (76).
Not Used: Armstrong, Weir, Hurter.
Tries: Stephenson.
Cons: Wilkinson.
Pens: Wilkinson 2.
Drop Goals: Wilkinson 2.
Att: 6,525
Ref: Chris White (RFU).
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