Evans late show sinks Stade

Nick Evans slotted a drop-goal with the final kick of the game to give Harlequins a stunning 19-17 victory over Stade Francais.

The French side looked set to avenge last week's surprise defeat in Paris before Evans' late heroics. But more importantly back-to-back wins over Stade have put the Londoners firmly in control of Pool Four and on the brink of qualification for the quarter-finals.

It was a gripping contest played out in appalling conditions, but it was Evans who kept his nerve with time expired to condemn Stade to their first ever double defeat in the traditional Heineken Cup pool stage double header.

It was Evans who gave Harlequins an early lead after Ugo Monye did well to collect a high ball and Stade were penalised for not rolling away, but a sustained spell of forward pressure from the visitors quickly earned them a penalty and Noel Oelschig levelled the scores.

Harlequins probably had just the better of the opening exchanges but it was a well-judged probing kick from Oelschig deep into the hosts' 22 which set up the opening try after nine minutes.

Stade packed the ensuing lineout with three three-man 'pods' and duly claimed a turnover. From a subsequent scrum, scrum-half Oelschig cut inside a stretched defence and dodged past three would-be tacklers to score.

His conversion rebounded off an upright but he quickly had another kicking opportunity following a moment of indiscipline from Quins.

Stade had knocked on and Quins had the scrum, but Monye spoke out of turn to referee Nigel Evans - moments after both teams had been warned against back-chat - and the referee awarded a penalty which Oelschig duly knocked over.

The mid stages of the half signalled a period of dominance from the Quins forwards and after pushing the Stade pack off their own scrum ball, Evans took the chance to cut the deficit to 6-11 after the Stade forwards failed to roll away.

Blocking

Quins could have had another guaranteed three points on 26 minutes but Danny Care took a quick tap five metres from the line and although Tani Fuga crossed and touched down, there had been clear blocking in the build-up.

But less than a minute later Quins did get over - and legitimately this time - in almost exactly the same place.

From a lineout on the Stade 10m line, Jordan Turner-Hall made a scything break on the diagonal, no one laid a hand on him and he scored by the posts.

The conversion edged Quins ahead but they were quickly behind again after being caught offside, Oelschig kicking his third penalty from three attempts.

In the last minute of the half Quins could have regained the lead but once again went for the try when in kickable range, only for the cross-kick to the corner to be knocked on by Monye.

Quins coach Dean Richards clearly had a word at the interval about taking the three points on offer, since Evans went for a much more difficult penalty try eight minutes into the half and duly made it to put his team 16-14 ahead. The penalty was won by the Quins scrum which was proving remarkably effective against one of Europe's most renowned set-pieces.

Monye had the chance to stretch the lead when Evans slid a wonderful kick through and the winger won the foot race only to grubber kick the ball into touch.

Attrition

It was becoming a war of attrition with both sides aware that - just as in Paris last week - one score would probably be enough to settle matters.

With conditions worsening both Care and Juan Martin Hernandez missed drop-goal attempts, before with eight minutes left Argentinian star Hernandez somehow found a dry spot for his standing foot and slotted over a beauty to put Stade on top once more.

With 80 seconds left Hernandez went for another drop-goal but sliced it wide.

But still there was time for incredible late drama. With time expired, twice Evans shaped to drop a goal before going on slicing runs through the Stade defence.

That got Quins to the try line and after a final play of the match that lasted 28 phases, the ball was fed back to Evans who somehow wobbled a drop-goal just over the crossbar.