A late surge from Colomiers cost Gloucester their unbeaten Heineken Cup record.

After dominating most of the match, and creating a decisive try midway through the second half, the Cherry and Whites succumbed to some inspired French running.

Colomiers outside-half Laurent Marticorena accumulated 25 points but it was his crucial try in the 78th minute which snuffed out Gloucester's last hope.

The strong wind forced players to find a way with kicks behind the opposition defence, hoping for mistakes to be made.

Colomiers were under pressure from the Gloucester scrum from the first minute and made the most errors in the opening period.

Penalties

Props Andy Deacon from Gloucester and Willy Begarie of Colomiers shaped up toe to toe after Gloucester won a strike against the head.

The two teams could only manage a six-all draw after 40 minutes and continued to play the same wind-ruined kicking game until midway through the second half.

Simon Mannix dutifully kicked his four penalties and Marticorena equalised.

Then a knock-on by Colomiers centre Yannick Jauzion let in Gloucester.

Winger Tom Beim ran out of his own half, feinted inside and swerved outside Fabien Galthie to set up Chris Catling for the try.

Chorus

Marticorena kicked the penalty but Jauzion made amends for his earlier error to snatch a try.

Colomiers took a quick penalty and the Colomiers centre scored under the post.

Driven on by the chorus of the home crowd, Colomiers began to keep the ball in hand at last and it was Gloucester who ran out of tacklers.

Marticorena was on the end of finger-tip passing as Gloucester were caught behind their own 22-metre line.

Marticorena sealed the victory with another penalty in injury time.