Gloucester 29 Harlequins 11

Two tries conceded in four second half minutes were to ultimately consign Quins to their sixth defeat in eight games, just as it appeared they would stage a comeback, against top-of-the-table Gloucester on Saturday (writes DALE HARRY).

Quins found it almost impossible to stop influential back Henry Paul and it was he who opened the scoring for the hosts by finishing a move on 10 minutes after intense pressure on the visitors line.

The opening quarter was a bruising encounter with Quins matching their opponents in all areas of the park but they were hit with another try, this time from Gloucester's Jake Boer, and were 14-0 down.

But the battling Quins, who secured their place in the Zurich Premiership with a 17-9 victory over Leicester last week, clawed six points back with two penalty kicks.

Quins were given a great opportunity to further reduce the deficit in the early stages of the second half, when a break from defence took the ball into opposition territory.

However, a stray pass from England centre Will Greenwood was gobbled up by Gloucester's James Simpson-Daniel who raced clear for a try under the posts.

Having been beaten 25-19 by Gloucester in August the odds were stacked against Quins, and the game was virtually sealed when Ludovic Mercier executed a perfect chip-and-chase to collect and touch down.

The final try of the game went to Quins through Samoan hooker Tani Fuga before a Paul penalty completed the scoring.

Quins chief executive and head coach Mark Evans believes the game hinged on Will Greenwood's loose pass: "At 14-6 to Gloucester it was a shocking pass and from then on the game was finished."

Quins scorers: tries - Fuga; pens - Burke 2.

Gloucester scorers: tries - Boer, Mercier, Simpson-Daniel, Paul; pens - Paul; cons - Mercier 3.

Harlequins: Jones, Fuga, Leonard, Davison, Miall, Tiatia, Vos, Diprose, Fulton, Burke, Gollings, Deane, Greenwood, Luger, Williams.

Meanwhile, Evans confirmed that Quins will no longer require the services of Ireland and British Lions hooker Keith Wood.

"Keith is still injured but will not play again for Quins this season, nor will he be taken on for next year," says Evans.

Wood, 31, has started just three Premiership games this season following neck and then shoulder injuries.