Harlequins 40-13 Exeter: Chiefs Scalped. No Quarter given!

As I arrived at The Stoop today I was pretty anxious to get the game over with... I suppose you call that nerves. After losing the last 2 games, albeit narrowly I was beginning to wonder if we would start to habitually lose. This was a 'must win' game for both sides, for different reasons. Harlequins MUST WIN this game to gain some confidence and kick start their season.

Exeter MUST WIN to maintain their excellent but some would say surprising start to their rookie season in the Premiership. Exeter have a now not so secret weapon in Steenson, their dead eye goal kicker and the penalty count would have a lot to say in this game. So, after the usual pre-match build up on the pitch and spectators getting to their seats NOW or sooner, the game kicked off.

First Half:

Early pressure from the kick off by Quins and a lovely, mazy run by Nev sets up a good move along the back line and Exeter are pinged for crossing. Up steps the first contender in the ‘battle of the kickers’ Nick Evans and he slots home after 2 mins. 3-0 Quins.

Exeter have some big guys in their side, even in the backs and they try to bully their way into the game with some hard tacking and aggression in the break down. This is not going to be all Quins  but there are flashes of brilliance with a fantastic positional kick by Nev. A storming run by Joe Marler is exciting to watch. An injury to Ex’s No8 brings the game to a halt and he is replaced. The Exeter scrum seems to be under pressure and is popping up. Quins are awarded another penalty for Ex not rolling away and NEv makes it 6-0 after 7mins.

Exeter now wake up and start to put some good passages of play together and are rewarded for their endeavour an industrious play with a penalty on the half way line (didn’t catch what it was for) They kick for touch abd after an infringment by Quins after the line out are awarded a very kickable penalty. Steenson gets it. 6-3 Quins.

Not a bad game so far but we need to start exerting some pressure and make our possession count. A line out on half way is well won but a  wayward garryowen from NEv puts us under pressure. Luckily we manage to push Ex out for a line out...but its not straight.

Good play by Ex and they are getting into this game. Joe marler down and receiving treatment...he's up. Good!

17 mins gone and it's  yet another line out on halfway to Ex. Danny Care’s blushes are spared from an awful kick as the ref gives a scrum to us for a previous knock on.

A great run by George Lowe but he is isolated and the ball is turned over and returned up field. Good run by Nev is ruined by a forward pass to Mike Brown. Scrum Ex. The crowd is in good voice. Come on Quins. Ex pen on halfwayline. Steenson kicks and hits the post. We get possession but knock on just outside our own 22 and we are under pressure and conceed a very kickable penalty in front of the posts. Steenson evens things up in the early part of the 2nd qtr. 6-6.

Almost immediately from the re-start Quins win a penalty in front of the posts and NEv slots it away. 9-6 Quins.

From the re-start, and not for the first time, it looks like Exeter 2^nd row are in front of the kicker at kick off again!

Good rucking from Ex and a massive hit comes in from Mike Brown and he looks out cold from it. Ex hold on in the breakdown, and I have to say it's a let off for us. Browny looks ok.  Referee misses as forward a  pass as you are likely to see (with my eyes!). We regain possession and there's a good run on the wing but Ex play dirty and concede a pen. Ollie smith is in some distress and is carried off injured and replaced by Chisholm. Good play in midfield and this is better from Quins. High tackles flying in everywhere and we are knocking on the door. Patient build up and Nick Easter scores! NEv converts and

It's 16-6 Quins with 7 mins left of the first half.

Ex are in our 22 again and using their forwards. Great tackle by Quins 11!!!

Still under pressure but a try saving tackle by gonzo and we get the pen for holding on. Only kicked to 22 though, so danger not over yet!

Quins win the line out well but we knock on. Come on Quins...hold on to it!!! More good play along the line by Ex, but indiscipline lets them down and it's a Quins penalty. NEv doesn't get much distance on it.  Exeter knock on in a promising position and that's the end of the first bruising and fiercely contested half.

Half Time: Quins 16 - 6 Exeter.

We need to be more disciplined and ruthless in the 2nd half. Good play by both sides. Quins back line seems to be starting to click and the front row is holding up well. Still too close to call but I'd take the half time score as a result!

2nd Half:

Scrum straight from the kick off for an Exeter knock on. Great kick from Nev and there's a line out 10m out. We are battering on the door again but ref gives pen to Ex for holding on at the breakdown. Another fierce and bruising encounter looks on the cards as Mike Brown receives a proper hospital pass with a 20 stone prop charging at him!

Penalty to us on half way and we kick to the 22. Come on Quins, let's get a grip of this. Dreadful line out!  We get a free kick and Danny Care is off and running…into the Exeter Scrum half. A yellow card for for not retreating 10 is given to DC’s opposite number. Nev gets the resulting Penalty. 19-6 Quins. Triple replacement for quins.

We must make this next 10 mins count and be ruthless!

Sloppy and flat play by Quins in midfield and the crowd is getting restless. Who wants this game?? Line out to ex on their 22. Well stolen and eventually its Gonzo2 who is put through for a great try! NEv adds the extras very coolly and it's 26-6 to Quins (that crept up suddenly) and we are starting to turn the screw. We get another pen which is put out on 10m. Another yellow card is given for not retreating at a penalty for Exeter.

Come on Quins, let's go for the kill now.

5m scrum. Ex scrum half back on and Steenson is replaced. Quins win scrum but Exter’s front row stand up when the shove comes in. Re-set and Exeter infringe again and the ref is left with no choice, goes to inbetween the posts and awards a penalty try which Nev converts. 33-6 Quins with 16 mins left. NEv is running the game well.  Joe Marler comes off to great applause and is replaced by Ceri Jones who gets straight in on the action. There’s a Quins break and something happens as the ball is spun out. Was it a deliberate knock on by Ex? I think so, so did the ref but bottled the card!

Was the result ever in doubt??? Ha ha! ;-)

12 mins to go

And I'm starting to breath a little easier. Don't give up yet Quins. It ain’t over! Exeter are beginning to stall now though and making are basic errors as a kick goes straight out. It must be catching as we fumble in midfield. Good offloads in the tackle from Exeter and they are still trying to play rugby. There are some tired bodies out there and the error count is increasing. We get another pen and NEv kicks to touch. One last push Quins! Yes!!!! After some exertion.Tom Guest scores with a good reach out to the tryline. NEv converts and it's 40-6 to Quins. This is turning into an unexpected drubbing for Exeter. Danny care and NEv  come off the field to a standing ovation, their job done for the afternoon with 3mins to go. Ex get a penalty and they kick for touch. It has to be a Last Hoorah for them and sure enough they put the ball out wide and score a consolation try which is converted and they are into double figures. The ref blows and we have a bonus point win.

Full time: Quins 40 - 13 Exeter

A good game played in full blooded spirit in front of 11 thousand plus fans. Everyone around me breathed a sigh of relief with a well deserved victory. All except the very gracious and good natured Exeter fans sat around me who have a very, very long journey home! I bumped into Ex-Quin Simon Miall who seemed to be very pleased with the result. It was nice to have a chat with him again.

My run of winning match reports continues…..Long may it do so!

Well done Quins.