BONUS POINT KEEPS PLAY-OFF HOPES ALIVE: Exeter 29 - 30 Quins
By Alanquin
May 5 2014
Visits to Exeter have rarely proved to be other than a graveyard for Harlequin hopes. Even when Quins were winning everything in ND1 they contrived to lose at Exeter. Since then only once before had Quins managed to win at Sandy Park. Now they did so again
Five minutes into the second half Exeter had scored their second try and extended their lead to 23 - 5 leaving Quins a seemingly impossible mountain to climb as they continued to chase the fourth play-off Premiership place. Exeter’s gaol was the seventh place European play-off.
From the start Exeter were on the attack and causing problems for the Quins’ defence.. A penalty after eight minutes allowed Steenson to open the scoring and having done so, the next penalty was kicked to touch deep in Quins’ twenty two and was followed by a catch and drive that Quins had problems in stopping. They could not stop Lewis, the scrum half, darting over from the side. The simple conversion left the home side ten points ahead after a quarter of an hour.
Harlequins’ response was immediate attack and within six minutes there was Monye running along the right touchline, brushing off the defender to score a try in the corner. Evans failed with the conversion attempt. Quins continued to have the bulk of the possession but no reward on the scoreboard, Steenson kicked two more penalties and at half time Exeter led by 16 – 5.
The second half put the wind at the back of Harlequins and Exeter were immediately on the attack. They worked an overlap on the right with great pace and a try for Jjess duly converted made the score 23 - 5.
It took only three minutes for Quins to respond, off loading at close quarters and Nick Evans darting through a gap in the defence and finishing with a typical try under the posts. He added the conversion points for 23 – 12. The fight back continued. Another break by Evans and a kick ahead from Sinckler might have brought reward but the ball bounced off the post and fell to the defence.
A yellow card for Exeter’s Welch for a trip on Care allowed Evans simple penalty points and another penalty soon followed and despite Steenson pulling one back the score was healthier for Quins at 26 – 18 with twenty minutes remaining.
A break by Matthews with Marlar and Easter in support and a pass to Care, that he had to juggle to keep control of, put him scampering in for Quins’ third try with fifteen minutes remaining. The extras took the score to 26 – 25. But with only eight minutes remaining, Steenson slotted another penalty to make the score 29 – 25 with time running out. But then Exeter went offside to concede another penalty that Evans kicked to touch to provide a ten metre lineout.
Then at the lineout Ward threw to Guest at the front, received the ball back and returned it to Guest for him to cross unstoppably for the winning and bonus point try. The last five minutes needed to be controlled and Quins did so playing keep ball in the Exeter twenty two until another penalty allowed the ball to be kicked into touch and bring the final whistle.
This was a notable victory setting up what is now effectively a play-off quarter final against Bath at The Stoop next Saturday.
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