Saints shocked by Quins
Harlequins pulled off a 16-13 shock win over Northampton, despite being on the receiving end of two yellow cards
Last Updated: 01/01/11 5:37pm
Harlequins pulled off a 16-13 shock win over Northampton at Franklin's Gardens on Saturday, despite being on the receiving end of two yellow cards.
Quins' victory ended the Aviva Premiership leaders' unbeaten home record which stretched back to May last year.
Northampton looked on course for another routine win as they built up a 10-3 lead at half time, with the visitors facing the opening 10 minutes of the second half with John Andress and Nick Easter in the sin-bin.
But a try from England scrum-half Danny Care and a conversion and two penalties from Nick Evans saw Quins claim an unlikely win.
The visitors had the first scoring opportunity in the third minute, but they were unable to take it as an Evans penalty attempt from halfway sailed narrowly wide.
Tom Williams and Easter then combined well to get the Quins into the opposition 22.and after the Saints were penalised, once again Evans missed the penalty chance.
Northampton quickly took advantage as James Downey brushed aside Chris Robshaw's tackle and the home side moved the ball sweetly to send Chris Ashton on a penetrating run down the touchline.
The Quins snuffed out that threat but Northampton maintained the pressure and in fact crossed the line through Downey, but the referee correctly ruled the final pass from Courtney Lawes to be forward.
Eventually Saints' building pressure was rewarded when Stephen Myler gave them the lead in the 26th minute with a simple penalty after the visiting three-quarters were adjudged to be offside.
Northampton's lead was shortlived as Evans replied in kind but back came Saints, and when Evans sliced his clearance kick to allow the hosts a line-out in a good attacking position it set up a bad five minutes for the Quins.
Their scrum came under pressure and conceded a succession of penalties, until the referee's patience was exhausted and prop Andress was sent to the sin-bin.
The Saints attacked from the next scrum and Easter was forced to concede yet another penalty to prevent a try and was promptly yellow-carded to leave Conor O'Shea's side two men down.
The six-man Quins scrum stood no chance at the next engagement and gave away a penalty try, which Myler converted with the last kick of the half to give the Saints a deserved 10-3 interval lead.
Hold out
Quins's 13 men battled ferociously to hold out the Saints for the first 10 minutes of the second half, before Andress and Easter returned with no further damage to the scoreline.
Their defiance was soon rewarded when Care charged down a clearance kick from Myler to collect the ball and score a try, which Evans converted to bring Quins level.
With the numbers now equal, Quins' confidence was visibly growing and in the 63rd minute they took the lead for the first time when Evans kicked a 20-metre penalty, before the outside half added another penalty with 12 minutes to go.
Northampton replacement Shane Geraghty reduced the arrears with a penalty but the Quins held on for a remarkable victory.
