By James Standley

Robshaw scored the first try of the game at Vicarage Road on Sunday

Saracens (3) 6
Pens: Ross 2

Harlequins (15) 15
Tries: Robshaw, Monye
Cons: Jarvis
Pens: Jarvis

Harlequins climbed to sixth in the Premiership as first-half tries from Chris Robshaw and Ugo Monye helped them to victory over Saracens.

The hosts opened the scoring through an early Gordon Ross penalty but Quins levelled through Adrian Jarvis's boot.

Quins went in front when Robshaw cantered over and Monye's try helped them lead 15-3 at the break.

Ross trimmed the gap with a second-half penalty but his side's play-off hopes have been dealt a major blow.

The win was Harlequins' second victory in a row and they are now just one point and one place behind Saracens.

Quins number eight Tom Guest was penalised for not holding on at a ruck in the fifth minute and Ross, in for first-choice fly-half Glen Jackson, slotted the easy penalty to get the scoreboard ticking over.

Saracens could have crossed for the opening try five minutes later but Ross's poor pass halted a flowing move a couple of feet short of the Harlequins line.

The hosts again went close a couple of minutes later but Quins managed to lift the siege and levelled the scores through a Jarvis penalty after 17 minutes.

Both sides were looking to play with adventure but it was Quins who took the lead, courtesy of a move straight off the training paddock.

The visitors won clean ball at the back of a line-out and popped it back to scrum-half Danny Care, who scampered through the yawning gap in the middle of the Saracens line-out.

Like all good back-rowers Robshaw was in support and Care drew full-back Brent Russell before sending the blind-side over for a smart score.

Sarries came close to hitting back through Chris Jack but the All Black second row was in touch as he dotted down after claiming a Ross cross-kick.

With Saracens effectively down to 14 men as winger Francisco Leonelli struggled after taking a knock, Harlequins then took the chance to extend their lead.

Open-side flanker Will Skinner chipped and regathered and although Richard Haughton blatantly infringed as he tried to kill the move, referee Tony Spreadbury played advantage.

Care weighed up his options at the base of the ruck and chipped to the far corner, where Monye was able to gather and race round near the posts, with Jarvis adding the extras.

Heavy rain started to fall during the interval and what had previously been a free-flowing encounter became increasingly scrappy as the greasy ball proved difficult to handle.

Saracens cut the gap to nine points with half an hour to go through Ross's second penalty but he then missed with a long-range effort and the hosts did their best to hand Quins victory after 65 minutes.

A fine kick and chase by Mike Brown saw Saracens under big pressure deep in their own 22.

Scrum-half Neil de Kock tried to relieve the pressure with a little chip from the base of the ruck but the ball fell to Tom Williams.

He cross-kicked intelligently for Monye but the ball skipped off the glistening turf and into touch with Saracens hopelessly exposed.

It was a rare attack for the visitors as Saracens enjoyed most of the second-half possession but defensively Quins were sound.

The hosts attacked with mounting desperation until the final whistle and could have earned a losing bonus point, but Ross's long-range penalty attempt fell short as Quins claimed a hard-fought derby win.

Harlequins director of rugby Dean Richards:
"The boys with England have got nothing more than Danny has got - he is getting better and better. He played extremely well and offers us a huge amount.

"Competition is a great thing and I have a huge amount of confidence in our youngsters. I'm really pleased with that win - and it was not just about Danny.

"We showed that if you defend well you can get a buzz out of it and some of our play in the first half was fantastic."

"I'm extremely disappointed. We had opportunities, but I'm sick of saying 'opportunities' - I say it every week and I'm getting bored.

"Either our skill level is not good enough or we don't have the right people playing."

Saracens: Russell; Haughton, Penney, Powell, Leonelli; Ross, De Kock; Lloyd, Ongaro, Johnson, Jack, Fullarton, Chesney, Hill, Gustard.
Replacements: Kyriacou, Mercey, Vyvyan, Skirving, Dickens, Scarbrough, Thrower.

Harlequins: Brown; Williams, Luscombe, Masson, Monye; Jarvis, Care; Jones, Fuga, Ross, Percival, Spanghero, Robshaw, Skinner, Guest.
Replacements: Brooker, Brooks, Robson, Hala'ufia, Keogh, Malone, Barry.

Referee: T Spreadbury (England)