Leicester avoided a third straight knockout blow by Harlequins as they ground out a deserved Powergen Cup quarter-final victory.

The European champions had seen their hopes of a domestic cup triumph end at The Stoop in each of the past two years.

But first-half tries from full-back Tim Stimpson - who also kicked three penalties - and flanker Lewis Moody proved sufficient this time.

Quins fly-half Paul Burke managed four penalties, but the home side never really threatened a dogged Tigers defence.

We played better than we did last year when we beat them but the difference today was on the bench Harlequins director of rugby Mark Evans

Leicester could have won more comfortably if what looked a third try from scrum-half Jamie Hamilton just before the interval had not been disallowed.

But the score was chalked off after a touch judge spotted a punch from French prop forward Franck Tournaire after the ball had gone.

Quins fly-half Paul Burke capitalised by landing the third of his four successful kicks to keep his side in contention at half-time.

Leicester, beaten 22-18 by Quins in the quarter finals two years ago and 22-20 last season, were not able to break clear but did enough.

Coach Dean Richards introduced veteran England forwards Neil Back and Darren Garforth from the bench in the second half to reinforce the pack effort.

Match facts

Quins 12 (9): Pens: Burke 4 Tigers 19 (13): Tries: Stimpson, Moody Pens: Stimpson 3

The Tigers dominated territorially, and there were no late Quins heroics this year as Stimpson cemented victory with a penalty in injury time.

The visitors limited Burke to just one long range kick in the crucial final quarter, which he narrowly missed from inside his own half.

Leicester shrugged off an early penalty from Burke and the loss of England flanker Moody to the sin-bin by levelling through Stimpson.

The same player then dived over in the right-hand corner after taking a pass from scrum-half Jamie Hamilton following a marauding forward drive.

Quins were reduced to 14 men when Ace Tiatia was sin-binned in the 22nd minute.

We have lost a couple of Cup games here but they haven't beaten us in the league for 10 years Leicester's Martin Johnson

And Moody celebrated his return by diving over after Ireland international and man-of-the-match Geordan Murphy had exposed some poor tackling on a mazy run.

The Tigers had their hosts in disarray again when winger Leon Lloyd burst through the middle but the chance was wasted by his needless forward pass.

But after seeing Hamilton's effort ruled out for Tournaire's indiscretion, a commanding position became a battle from which the visitors emerged triumphant.

Harlequins: Williams; Luger, Greenwood, Satala, Gollings; Burke, Bemand; Leonard, Fuga, Dawson, Davison, Codling, Tiatia, Vos (capt), Diprose.
Replacements: Cardinali, Miall, Evans, Sherriff, Powell, Moore, Jewell.

Leicester: Stimpson; Murphy, Smith, Kafer, Lloyd; Vesty, J Hamilton; Rowntree, West, Tournaire, M Johnson, Kay, Moody, Kronfeld, Corry.
Replacements: Chuter, Freshwater, Garforth, Balding, Booth, Tierney, Back.

Referee: Chris White (RFU)