By AlanQuin
December 4 2006

A much changed Quins team lost their third match in the EDF Cup at Kingston Park, going down to Falcons by 21 points to 18. A mere handful of Quins supporters made the journey north and in contrast to 10,000 spectators who came to the Premiership match last month only 3440 turned out yesterday. It was a match in which Quins started well but then seemed to lose their way in the course of the second half as Newcastle became ever more frenzied in their vain attempt to win with a try bonus point.

In the first minute of the match Tom Guest stole the ball at a lineout and made an excellent break with Will Skinner in support but the move was stopped only just short of the tryline. In the ruck that followed Quins were awarded a penalty which Mehrtens kicked for the opening score.

Almost immediately from the restart Quins were back on attack with Skinner and Guest and Jim Evans prominent in the move. When the ball was recycled it was moved rapidly right from Mehrtens to Abbott and finally for Adam Thompstone to score the try in the corner, a debut for the senior team that he will certainly remember.
Andrew Mehrtens added the conversion points and after six minutes Quins had built a lead of 0 -10.

It was at least ten minutes into the match before Falcons obtained possession of the ball and then unforced errors ceded possession to Quins. Both Tom Williams and Andrew Mehrtens were able to kick deep, pinning the Falcons into their own twenty-two where their lineout was not functioning very well and when they had possession their attempts to run the ball were lateral rather than penetrative with Quins defending strongly.

Then as the first quarter ended, a good break by Tait sparked the Falcons and a long pass from Crichton, looking suspiciously forward, found Visser on the left wing to score the try. Flood converted and the score was 7 -10

Newcastle pressure brought penalties but they were in every case kicked for touch towards the corners as they sought to earn the win together with the try bonus that might take them to the semi-finals. The consequent pressure eventually gave the Falcons their second try as Oakes scored and again Flood converted to lead 14 – 10
With just over an half hour gone.

Quins continued to press as unforced errors by their opponents gave them opportunities. Then a kick through along the touchline from Mehrtens saw Adam Thompstone in pursuit and his further hack ahead evaded the defence and allowed the winger to touch down for his second try. Mehrtens’ kick from the touchline was blown suddenly sideways as it approached the posts in a gust of wind that had the posts waving wildly. Nevertheless at half-time, despite too many unforced errors on both sides, Quins led 14 – 15.

Quins started the second half strongly and a break by Abbott took play into the Falcons’ twenty-two and what appeared to be a good try from Danny Care in the right corner was disallowed for an alleged knock-on over the line. Quins continued to press and a charged down clearance by Jim Evans took play almost to the tryline. The Newcastle clearance was sliced giving Quins a good attacking lineout. But Falcons had made changes to their pack and their lineout which had been fallible in the first half began to reassert itself. They stole the lineout ending the Quins attack.

A penalty for a tackler not rolling away saw Andrew Mehrtens produce a good kick from 39 metres to increase the Quins lead to 14 – 18 with nine minutes of the half elapsed. Another few minutes passed before Falcons got into Quins half of the pitch for the first time in the half!

Newcastle had made all seven of their substitutions before the third quarter ended and were exerting good pressure in their attempt to score four tries. Easy scoring chances from penalties were declined with kicks in search of attacking lineouts. Quins, too, made two substitutions bringing on So’oialo for Care and Robson for Miall.

Then, with Abbott injured by an apparent stamping, which went unpunished by the referee, Falcons were allowed to continue their attack and with the defensive line a man short, Rudd forced his way over in the corner. Flood added the points to regain the lead at 21 – 18 with fifteen minutes remaining.

A few minutes later a penalty to Quins saw Mehrtens attempt to equalise the scores from three metres inside his own half just curl right of the posts and thereafter Falcons frenzied pressure to get the fourth try kept Quins in their own half. The defence held the line well and Falcons could not score again. But neither could Harlequins.

There were some positives to be taken from this otherwise “dead” match. The return from injury of Abbott, Skinner, So’oialo and Hayter (who was on the bench but not used) was very welcome. The graduation of Thompstone from the Academy to a two try debut on the bigger stage was also important.

Newcastle: L Crichton (J Rudd 52min); A Elliott, M Tait, J Shaw (T Dillon 60min), T Visser; T Flood, J Grindal (L Dickson 52min); J McDonnell (capt), M Thompson (A Long h-t), M Ward (J Golding 52min), M Sorenson, J Oakes (M McCarthy 35min), B Wilson, R Winter, C Harris (E Gesinde h-t).
Harlequins: T Williams; A Thompstone, M Deane, S Abbott, S Keogh; A Mehrtens, D Care (S So’oialo 61min); A Croall, J Richards, L Ward, J Evans, S Miall (G Robson 61min), L Sherriff (capt), T Guest, W Skinner.
Referee: D. Richards (RFU)