Harlequins managed to contain free-scoring Leeds Tykes at Headingley to pick up their fifth win of the Zurich Premiership season.
Leeds had scored 17 tries in their first four home matches but were limited to
just a second-half Phil Christophers effort by a determined Harlequins side.
Quins themselves picked up three tries in the match through Chris Bell, Simon
Keogh and fly-half Andy Dunne, who ended with a personal haul of 20 points.
First blood went to Harlequins as they built a 9-3 lead after 26 minutes on
the back of three penalties from Dunne.
But Leeds hit back with Duncan Hodge overcoming some early problems to notch
three successful kicks himself, making the score 9-9 at the break.
There was little to excite the crowd in what was a stop-start opening period
where try-scoring chances were pretty much non-existent.
In one of the few moments of real interest in the first half, Leeds gave a
debut to Italy flanker Aaron Persico, fresh from his World Cup exploits in
Australia.
Persico, who was given a warm reception by the home fans as he came on as a
temporary replacement for Matt Salter, had an ignominious start though, passing
the ball straight at the referee with his first touch.
The Tykes fans did not seem to mind, however, as they applauded Persico back
off the pitch minutes later when Salter was fit to return to the action.
The first half may have been something of a damp squib but it was a completely
different story after the break with three tries being scored in the opening 10
minutes of the half.
Leeds were the first to cross the try-line as Christophers raced over for his
third try of the season.
Quins hit back almost immediately though with a double strike.
Centre Chris Bell touched down first and he was quickly joined in the
tryscorers' column by Dunne.
The number 10 added both conversions to put the away side into a 23-16 lead,
an advantage they held going into injury-time.
The Tykes tried their best to get back into the match but could find no way
through and Quins winger Keogh broke away to race the length of the pitch and
secure the win with the visitors' third try in the last minute.
Leeds will not have long to wait for a chance of revenge, though, as the pair
have been scheduled to clash three times in the space of a month.
Following this game the two teams do battle again in the Powergen Cup in
mid-November before they meet again at The Stoop for the league return.
Teams:
Leeds: Scarbrough, Rees, Davies, Botham, Christophers, Hodge,
Dickens, Shelley, Rawlinson, Powell, Murphy, Hooper, Salter,
Ponton, Hyde.
Replacements: Walsh for Hodge (51), Holt for Rawlinson (66),
Halford for Powell (51), Persico for Salter (51).
Not Used: Morgan, Walker, Cardey.
Tries: Christophers.
Cons: Hodge.
Pens: Hodge 3.
Harlequins: J. Taumalolo, Monye, Bell, Deane, Keogh, Dunne,
Willis, Jones, Hayter, Dawson, Davison, Evans, Sanderson, Vos,
Diprose.
Replacements: Duffy for Bell (66), Burke for Dunne (63),
Gomez for Dawson (72), Rudzki for Davison (72).
Not Used: C. Dott, Moore, Winters.
Tries: Dunne, Deane, Keogh.
Cons: Dunne 2, Burke.
Pens: Dunne 3.
Att: 3,205
Ref: David Rose (RFU).
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