Quins boost play-off hopes

Harlequins claimed their sixth win in seven games with a 15-9 success over Newcastle Falcons at the Twickenham Stoop.

Adrian Jarvis kicked four penalties and Danny Care slotted a drop goal to ensure the hosts were too strong for the Falcons, whose points came from three Jonny Wilkinson penalties.

The victory was somewhat overshadowed by De Wet Barry's sending off in the second-half for a high tackle on Newcastle's Matthew Tait.

The visitors started in determined mood and took a 3-0 lead courtesy of Wilkinson's boot.

But that early promise evaporated when Jordan Turner-Hall recovered the kick-off and, after the Falcons were caught with their hands in the ruck, Jarvis levelled matters at 3-3.

Opportunist

Quins scrum-half Care extended that to 3-0 with an opportuntist drop goal in the 17 minutes after Newcastle surrendered possession at a lineout.

It could have been 9-3 just minutes later, but Jarvis missed a kickable penalty.

He soon made amends by slotting his second penalty, although Wilkinson landed a long-range effort of his own to keep his side in touch.

Barry entered the fray just prior to the break as a replacement for Ugo Monye, who had pulled up with an injury.

There was still time for Jarvis to punish Newcastle for straying offside by stroking his third penalty to take Quins into the break 12-6 ahead.

Barry sent off

The second-half petered out after South African Barry was giving his marching orders in the 59th minute for a nasty high shot on Tait.

England international Tait required attention from paramedics and was given oxygen before managing to regain his feet to leave the field.

Jarvis and Wilkinson had exchanged penalties either side of Barry's dismissal and Quins' pack controlled possession during the closing stages to ice the victory.

The result moves the play-off chasing Quins back above Sale and Leicester into third place in the Guinness Premiership table, while third from bottom Newcastle's losing streak now extends to five matches.