Harlequins stun table toppers Exeter Chiefs with 34-30 win

Harlequins 34-30 Exeter Chiefs, Twickenham Stoop
Scorecard

Harlequins resisted a 25-point performance from Joe Simmonds as they edged out Exeter Chiefs 34-30 in the 12th round of the Gallagher Premiership at Twickenham Stoop.

Despite the defeat, Exeter maintain the top position with 40 points while Harlequins are at sixth place with 28 points.

Phil Dollman got Exeter off the mark in the third minute as he brushed away a weak tackle from Marcus Smith to score the opening try while Joe Simmonds followed with the conversion to make it 0-7.

As Smith and Simmonds traded penalties, the gap between the teams remained at seven at the end of the 10th minute but the home side went on to level the scores in the 21st minute with Paul Lasike powering from close range. The trend continued with the remainder of the first half as Smith and Simmonds exchanged penalties as the teams finished the first half with a 13-13 scoreline.

Replacement Tevita Cavubati helped Quins off to a flying start in the second half but Joe Simmonds put Exeter in front by seven points with back to back converted tries in the 50th and 53rd minutes.

The scores remained same by the end of the third quarter with Smith's converted try but the home side were reduced to 14-men temporarily by the 65th minute with Nick Auterac yellow-carded following which Joe Simmonds kicked a penalty goal to provide a three point lead for the visitors.

The game entered the final 10 minutes with all three results possible and Nick Auterac's sin-bin in the 74th minute and just when Rob Baxter's men thought they sealed the game, Alec Hepburn was yellow-carded in the added minutes that also resulted in a penalty try for the Quins as they completed a four-point win.