Four Paul Burke penalties and a drop-goal by Josh Taumalolo were enough to
send Harlequins back to the top of the Zurich Premiership table.
Quins could not find their way over the line in a match low on real quality
that only sprang to life in the last 10 minutes.
But when London Irish were looking down the barrel of a gun they could manage
a try - thanks to Matt Cannon, who drove over eight minutes from time.
The Exiles, though, were penned back in their half for the remainder of the
game and Quins just about deserved the win thanks to Burke's intelligent
tactical kicking and an outstanding performance from a scavenging back-row led
by Andre Vos.
Quins, overtaken by Bath on Saturday night, only needed to win by two points to go
back to the top of the table in their best start to a league season since 1996.
That looked a tall order at first. Neither side could control the ball for
long in a low-quality first-half full of turnovers, missed tackles and handling
errors.
And it was Irish, who had former Quins' centre Nick Greenstock making his
debut, who generated the one spell of concerted pressure for the opening 10
minutes.
Barry Everitt's early drop-goal attempt was just short, but he found the
target with his eighth minute penalty after locks Ryan Strudwick and Bob Casey
had thundered up the middle of the park.
Burke levelled from wide on the right three minutes later and after that both
sides struggled to provide any real entertainment for a sell-out crowd at the
Stoop.
Irish only threatened after that when full-back Gavin Duffy and wing Rob
Jewell were unsettled by Everitt's raking cross-kicks and, while Harlequins
centre Mel Deane produced two sparkling breaks, neither he nor his team-mates
could supply the final pass or locate potential matchwinner Ugo Monye on the
wing.
Five tries in the opening two Premiership games of the season had sent Monye's
stock through the roof, but he missed tackles on opposite number Paul Sackey and
when he did find some space on the outside his team-mates let him down.
Burke's boot, though, was all Quins needed to take advantage of their improved
second half showing as he added penalties in the 48th and 52nd minutes, the
latter after Deane had been hit dangerously high by Everitt.
Taumalolo extended the lead when he drilled over a drop-goal on the hour and
Burke's fourth penalty five minutes later left the Exiles in deep trouble -
particularly after Sackey had been halted in the right-hand corner and skipper
Strudwick had burst into the 22 only to find an opponent with what should have
been a scoring pass.
Somehow Irish found their way back into the game with a desperate series of
attacks in the last 10 minutes, electing to run a penalty with Michael Horak
bursting into the line and replacement centre Matt Cannon twisting out of a
tackle to score.
Everitt converted to set up a finale the game did not really deserve, ended
when Irish were penned back deep in their own half by Burke's masterful tactical
kicking.
Teams:
Harlequins: Duffy, Jewell, J. Taumalolo, Deane, Monye, Burke,
Willis, Worsley, Tiatia, Dawson, Davison, Miall, Sanderson,
Vos, Diprose.
Not Used: Fuga, Jones, Gomez, Evans, Sheriff, Keogh, Dunne.
Pens: Burke 4.
Drop Goals: J. Taumalolo.
London Irish: Horak, Sackey, Appleford, Greenstock, Bishop,
Everitt, Edwards, Hatley, Drotske, Hardwick, Strudwick, Casey,
Gustard, Dawson, Sheasby.
Not Used: Durant, Flavin, Roche, Murphy, Thrower, Barrett,
Cannon.
Tries: Cannon.
Cons: Everitt.
Pens: Everitt.
Att: 8,500
Ref: Steve Lander (RFU).
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