Lang puts boot in to complete Gloucester collapse
HARLEQUINS supremo John Kingston saluted his side’s character after James Lang’s last gasp penalty completed a remarkable late comeback.
Trailing 27-15 with just eight minutes of a compelling contest remaining, tries from brothers James and Ross Chisholm dragged Quins back into a match that appeared lost, with Lang’s boot doing the rest to keep their league campaign alive.
Kingston said: “We’re seventh with five games to go, so the guys have given the club a shot at making the top six.”
Gloucester made a blistering start when Matt Scott’s cut-out pass put Billy Burns into space.
The fly-half made good ground before releasing David Halaifonua, who left the Harlequins defence for dead before sending Willi Heinz clear. Ross Chisholm did well to chase down Heinz but Charlie Sharples picked up the pieces for a fine score.
Harlequins responded with some sparkling play of their own. Joe Marchant was the catalyst as he released Tim Visser and Tim Swiel in quick succession.
Marchant was involved a third time before Swiel floated a pass for the rampaging Visser to finish at the flag.
Gloucester were stunned again when Harlequins, showing greater cohesion than of late, notched an excellent second try.
Marchant again worked Visser into space before his inside pass found Ross Chisholm, who sent Mulchrone to the line.
Swiel converted before Burns’ penalty reduced the arrears, but Harlequins enjoyed the last word of an entertaining first half when Gloucester were penalised at scrum time and Swiel smashed over the three-pointer for a well deserved 15-10 lead.
Harlequins lost the influential Mulchrone to an ankle injury a minute after the restart and their woe intensified when Mat Luamanu’s fumble enabled Jeremy Thrush to kick ahead. Matt Hopper raced back but was dispossessed by Thrush, before the ball went wide through Tom Marshall and Scott for Halaifonua to score.
Burns converted and worse followed for Harlequins when Gloucester rumbled forward from a lineout before Hibbard and Rowan combined to send Sharples racing over.
Burns again added the extras for a 24-15 lead, an advantage Gloucester extended when Halaifonua’s monster hit on Visser created a penalty chance that Burns accepted.
To their credit Harlequins dug in before Marchant, Alofa Alofa and Charlie Matthews combined to send Dave Ward hurtling deep inside Gloucester’s 22.
Hibbard was sin-binned for killing the ball and James Chisholm capitalised from the lineout to power through Billy Twelvetrees and score, before Harlequins drew level when Marland Yarde and Alofa combined to send Ross Chisholm over.
Replacement fly-half Lang fluffed the conversion to leave the scores tied 27-27 but the youngster was destined to be the hero when Quins shoved Gloucester off their own scrum, enabling Lang to secure a priceless away victory.
