Quins ease past Exiles
Chris Malone inspired Harlequins to a 35-27 victory over London Irish on the opening day of the season.
Last Updated: 15/09/07 7:11pm
Fly-half Chris Malone inspired Harlequins to a 35-27 victory over London Irish on the opening day of the Guinness Premiership season.
The Australian - who joined the Londoners from Bath over the summer - was the central figure for Quins as he bossed the game with some astute kicking and set up two second-half tries to ensure his new side made a winning start to the campaign.
The Exiles refused to lie down and managed three tries to the four of their hosts, but, in truth, they were soundly beaten with a couple of late scores giving the scoreline a rather flattering look.
Having spurned a couple of early chances to cross the whitewash, Quins - a Malone penalty having edged them ahead - were given a boost on the quarter-hour mark as David Paice was sin-binned for an off-the-ball incident.
They took full advantage as, from the very next lineout, Olly Kohn was driven over for the opening try of the contest.
Ex-Quins stand-off Jeremy Staunton reduced the arrears with his first penalty of the afternoon, but the hosts took control of the contest shortly before the half hour as England Under-20 centre Jordan Turner-Hall powered past a would-be tackler and to the line for a try that Malone converted to leave the score 15-3.
Staunton responded with his second penalty to close the gap to nine points, and that's how the teams went in at the interval although it could have been better for Irish if Delon Armitage had released Topsy Ojo instead of holding on to the ball.
It was a chance the visitors were to rue as Quins moved further ahead four minutes after the restart when Malone's well-judged cross-field kick allowed Tom Williams to steal in and touch down.
Irish did respond seven minutes later when hooker Paice was driven over from close-range, but Malone took the game away from them decisively as he kicked his second penalty of the match before setting Welsh centre Hal Luscombe clear to score under the posts with another clever kick.
The Exiles did rally in the closing stages with Armitage's brother Steffon - a back-row substitute - breaching the Quins line six minutes from time.
Staunton converted, only for Malone to slot his third penalty, but Irish had the final say when Richard Thorpe touched down in injury time with Staunton adding another successful kick.