A sell out crowd (my goodness we need that new stand) witnessed the team finally come together and play the sort of decent rugby that we know they are capable of. I was going to write that the team was transformed - but that would be to underestimate the performances put on against Glaws and Leeds - we weren't transformed, we were the same team playing basically the same game....but with a little luck, hard training and spoonful of attitiude, getting it right this time. Irish were well-beaten (doesn't it feel good to write that!) "We were rubbish", said Conor O'Shea afterwards, "Quins deserved to win...they won the physical contest right from the start...they played with more desire and more bottle".

Indeed, so strong were we in the bottle department that's it's hard to pick out any individual players, but I'll do so anyway: Ace played another of his storming games that he's started delivering so reliably we're in danger of taking them for granted. The difference this weekend was that he was matched by Dippy and Pat: together the three of them put on a back row display that could rival any team - I lost count of loose balls scooped up, ball carriers robbed in the tackle and thumping tackles made. (Who needs Vos?)

Last week against Leeds it was the big names that held solid, and nearly won us the game. This week was the turn of the understudies to rise to the occasion, and demonstrate a greater strength in depth than perhaps we give ourselves credit for. In the front row Tani Fuga put in a performance that may leave JK scratching his head when he selects the pack for Friday - popping up everywhere he made a couple of enormous tackles, carried the ball a good few metres and threw in at the lineouts with greater accuracy than Woody or Ace managed at the start of the season. With Woody still making his way back from Siberia I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Tani start on Friday. Meanwhile in the backs Nick Greenstock - now a part time player, who doesn't even train with the full squad, and was put on call as late as Friday morning, stepped up to the mark with a strong, confident performance including an 85m sprint to the line showing that he's lost none of his fitness.

The game started fast and furious, Quins kicked off long and when the ball was hoofed back to the they attacked with a will spinning the ball right and then left. Around me people we still taking their seats as in front of us as Williams burst through and ran for the line with Gollings outside him. Just metres from the line he drew the last defender....and threw the ball aimlessly into space past the furious Gollings and into touch. 5 points gone begging it seemed, but the referee (who had an odd game) called the play back for a LI offside. 3-0 to Quins, but Everitt soon made it 3-3.

Quins were all over them in first 20 minutes. Playing with a grim determination they kept up relentless pressure. Ace put down a few markers, with some great tackles, and early runs. This was going to be one of his games. LI fought back, but Diprose put a thundering tackle on one of the LI locks forcing the ball from him and Nathan Williams made the first of many long, long kicks to touch that we'd see from Quins - it was clear that the coaches had been reading the message boards this week as the touch kicking from Williams, Gollings and Burke was significantly more ambitious than previous games (not always successfully it has to be said). The lineout was stolen and Codling kicked and chased only to be brought down off the ball, and LI sliced to touch on the 22m line - providing the the foundation for our first try.

'A rolling maul is a thing of beauty' Mark told us last week - and our first try demonstrated why. It was textbook stuff. Lineout, maul, rolling maul driving back 10m and still moving, the defenders were forced to shoulder in, and stop the movement, at which moment Ace pops out on the blind side and off-loads to Matt Moore to score in the corner. John Kingston must have had a grin on his face at that moment - 8-3 to Quins.

An exciting twenty minutes ensued as both sides sought to stamp their authority on the game. Williams thwarted a dangerous looking kick ahead by Irish by scooping a ball from his ankles on the run, and later in a Quins attack Dippy was taken out in the left wing trying to collect a clever sideways kick from Burkey, the referee not impressed, and touch judge had some dirt in his eye (and took such a barracking from the East stand he took advantage of the subsequent penalty to move to the other side of the pitch!) During this spell the Quins back row took charge, looking at my notes I see time again '6 picks up loose ball, 7 tackles, 8 takes it forward. Quins customary lack of alertness around the fringes seemed to be forgotten. Despite promising attacks from both sides, no more tries, and we turned around 14-6 at half time, with both kickers able to punish any transgression.

Quins came out on fire for the second half, and Irish were immediately under pressure from a rolling maul that was held up over the line. From the ensuing five metre scrum, on the right hand side, Quins called a Paul Turner special (what a difference he has made to the back play this season) Some complicated loops and switches bewildered the defence, and drew in several men to make the final tackle, so with space created, super-quick ball wide to Gollings gifted him the metre of space he needed to score in the corner. 19-9 11 minutes gone, and the East Stand were ecstatic. Quins kept up the pressure - Ace nearly going over in the right side, and eventually Slemen found himself in directly front of the posts, with the ball in hand and expended the minimum possible amount of energy on a drop kick that sort of fell, rather than soaring over the cross bar.

22-9 and LI were in trouble. They knew it, and they knew just what to do about it, they raised their game to play what was easily their best spell. We looked jerky and LI capitalised. Strong, strong attacks were foiled several time by a confident drift defence squeezing a seeming overlap into the touchline. A strong attack was foiled by a tremendous tackle by Fuga, five points avoided, but we were offside and Everitt struck for three. A dreadful little mis-hit kick by Bemand was punished by a long clearance, and LI were in our half again. A penalty was taken swiftly by the Irish and we were in disarray as they moved forwards, and to the left, only to be stopped for the second time by the relentless Fuga, arriving like a steam train. Irish kept hold the ball but momentum was lost as they took a half a pace back and were off-balance and under pressure when Horak tried a chip over Greenstock's head. Greenstock's arms shout out, he charged down the kick, gathered the ball and sprinted a full 85m to the line to sew it up for Quins.

A 'fourteen point moment' Maek Evans called it after the game. Was it it lucky? 'Well I suppose so, but it's one of those things that happens from time to time and I can't count how many times it's happened to us the last two years'. Personally, it seemed to me that Fuga's tackle made our luck.

29-12. Just twelve minutes left and London Irish were rattled, on the bench Conor O'Shea conferred furiously with his team - they had to do something, and quickly. They knew in their hearts it was time - the secret weapon should be unleashed, the Armageddon card must be played, and the PA system rang out with the ominous news: "Substitution London Irish. Off the field Michael Horak, being replaced by....Mark Mapletoft"

Well, the East Stand might have chuckled, but the team seemed to be dumbstruck by the news as they promptly went completely to sleep for about five minutes, during which time a surprised London Irish to scored, almost unopposed in the left corner - Tofty releasing Roussow for the try. Everitt converted (doesn't he always) and it was 29-19.

Irish fighting back - they didn't look like winning, but there was still eight minutes left and 29 of the players on the pitch played a fast and furious spell chasing an all-important bonus point. I say 29 because all this seemed to have completely passed by poor old David Slemen in the 79th minute when he abruptly finished a dangerous looking Quins move by attempting a drop goal!

But then the whistle went and the East Stand erupted. Our first league win since Leeds last season, and a long-awaited victory over the Irish almost making up entirely for the disappointment of the first three games!.

After the game a subdued Mark Evans was pleased by the teams performance but clearly upset as talked about the emotional impact of the tragic death of Will Greenwood's baby. Singling out the back row for specific praise Mark cited Ace's performance of 'just marvellous' and paid tribute to the 'shed loads of work' put in by Dippy and Pat. Conor O Shea was harsh in his assessment of his teams performance, which he described as 'half-hearted' and 'lacking in desire' 'We were rubbish', he said 'Quins deserved to win, no question'.

So we rise to tenth place in the league, and can travel with renewed confidence to a difficult game away to Sale on Friday, followed by a very winnable home fixture to Newcastle on Oct 5th. Come on you Quins!

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