Irish hit back to stun Quins
Delon Armitage scored two tries and Peter Hewat finished with a haul of 18 points as the Exiles completed a dramatic comeback at the Stoop.
Last Updated: 27/09/08 5:53pm
Delon Armitage scored two tries and Peter Hewat finished with a haul of 18 points as the Exiles completed a dramatic comeback at the Stoop.
Full-back Hewat kicked Irish into a first minute lead but Harlequins dared to play some adventurous rugby and it paid dividends as they rushed into a 20-3 lead.
David Strettle was a constant livewire for the hosts and he set up the opening score, breaking through four tacklers to charge towards the line before being held up.
But the break was made and a lofted pass from Chris Malone teed up Ugo Monye to cross in the corner - Malone adding the conversion and two further penalties.
Quins defended a brief onslaught and were more effective in attack, Tom Guest blazing over halfway in the 27th minute, and after Malone and Danny Care kept the ball alive, Guest was on hand to finish off the move.
Momentum
Exiles clawed back some of the deficit before the break when Armitage won the race to the ball after Hewat had twice hacked the ball forward, and they carried the momentum into the second half.
Hewat and Eoghan Hickey both missed penalty attempts but the former slotted his next effort and Quins were soon on the rack again - Hewat moving the ball out wide quickly for Armitage to dash in for his second try of the afternoon.
Quins were desperate for a response but a careless pass from Chris Robshaw was intercepted by Hewat, who raced 75 metres to score unchallenged under the posts.
Hewat added the extras and a crucial penalty that crept over via the lefthand upright to give the visitors an eight point lead, but the scoring was not over as Care set up a nerve jangling finale when he crossed from close range following another Strettle break - Waisea Luveniyali converting.
But the Exiles held on to make it two wins from four, while Quins went down to a narrow defeat for a second week in succession.
