A rejuvenated Harlequins side recorded their fifth home victory on the trot on
Saturday following their narrow triumph over London rivals Saracens.
The win not only hands the Stoop outfit four crucial Premiership points and
moves them up to seventh in the league table, but it would have also been a
pleasing victory for chief executive Mark Evans who spent more than 15 years at
Saracens before moving to Harlequins two years ago.
Fly-half Paul Burke out-kicked his opposite number Andy Goode initially,
converting two penalties to one but it was the visitors who touched down for the
first try of the afternoon.
Saracens had built up the momentum and a clever chip by in-form hooker Matt
Cairns set up the score. After a lucky bounce, winger Richard Haughton scored on
the right wing and Goode converted.
But Harlequins bounced back in a similar fashion just before the break.
This time it was England centre Will Greenwood who accurately chipped the ball
deep down the right wing for Tani Fuga to score. Burke converted but with Goode
landing a 40th-minute penalty both sides were deservedly level at half-time.
Burke then soon added his third penalty before Quins' Nathan Williams snatched
an impressive 45th minute try. The full-back caught Saracen's defence napping
and charged up field to score. Burke converted to create a 10-point cushion.
Again the table turned and Saracens' Goode soon reduced the deficit after he
too charged freely through an unaware defence touch-down. Goode converted before
also converting Thomas Castaignede's try and his own injury-time score.
But it was another soft try and Burke's consistent kicking which was Saracens'
undoing.
Winger Matt Moore snatched a shocking way ward Morgan Williams pass to score
after 56 minutes. Burke converted and added an 80th-minute penalty to seal
victory.
Teams
Harlequins:
N. Williams, Moore, Greenwood, Satala, Gollings,
Burke, Bemand, Leonard, Fuga, Gomez, Davison, Codling, Tiatia,
Vos, Diprose.
Not Used: Rudzki, Starr, Evans, Sheriff, M. Powell, Jewell,
Monye.
Tries: Fuga, N. Williams, Moore.
Cons: Burke 3.
Pens: Burke 5. Harlequins:
Sin Bin: Leonard (67).
Saracens:
Castaignede, Haughton, Johnston, Sorrell, O'Mahony,
Goode, Williams, Califano, Cairns, Marsters, Quinnell, Yandell,
Chesney, Hill, B. Russell.
Not Used: Kershaw, Parkes, Peacey, Roques, Kirton, Sparg,
Winnan.
Tries: Parkes, Goode 2, Chesney.
Cons: Goode 3.
Pens: Goode 2.
Att: 7,714
Ref: Dave Pearson (RFU).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook