Harlequins (20) 27
Tries: Monye, Guest, Care Cons: Malone 2, Luveniyali Pens: Malone 2

London Irish (8) 28
Tries: D Armitage 2, Hewat Cons: Hewat 2 Pens: Hewat 3

Exiles number eight Chris Hala'Ufia was an influential figure at the Stoop

Delon Armitage scored twice as London Irish staged a dramatic fightback at Harlequins to snatch their second Premiership victory of the season.

Quins took a 20-8 lead into half-time thanks to tries from Ugo Monye and Tom Guest and the boot of Chris Malone.

Armitage's second try, just after the break, got his side back into the game.

Peter Hewat kicked 13 points and claimed an interception try to ensure Danny Care's last-gasp effort for Quins could not alter the result.

Hewat had given the Exiles the lead inside the opening 60 seconds after the referee - a namesake of Quins boss Dean Richards - penalised the home side at the breakdown.

But Quins soon began to express themselves with ball in hand as the Exiles line-out struggled for its usual reliability.

England winger David Strettle created Harlequins' first try, breaking four tackles before being hauled down just short of the line.

But the ball was quickly recycled and Chris Malone's pass put Monye away in the corner.

606: DEBATE What did Toby Booth say to the London Irish players at half-time? exileray

Quins surged further ahead after Malone and Care combined to work a big overlap which Guest finished off.

But the Exiles grabbed a crucial try just before the break when Armitage got on the end of a loose ball that Hewat had hacked forward twice.

And the Exiles carried that momentum into the second half as they dominated possession and territory for long periods.

Hewat slotted a simple penalty and soon after Armitage scored his second, although Quins claimed he had gone over the dead-ball line.

Quins strained to regain their first-half dominance, but Hewat plucked Chris Robshaw's pass out of the air and raced 75m to score under the posts.

Hewat converted his own try and added another penalty before Care's late try sparked a frantic finish.

Harlequins boss Dean Richards:

"We were outstanding in the first half. We played some superb rugby but we shouldn't have allowed them to score just before half-time.

"We allowed them to build up the pressure and they caused us problems.

"Against a team like London Irish that pressure is going to tell and we have nobody else to blame but ourselves."

London Irish coach Toby Booth:

"The try from Delon Armitage just before half-time was vital. If we'd gone in 20-3 down rather than 20-8 it would be a different game.

"We showed an inner desire and determination and if you want to challenge for trophies that is the kind of performance you have to put in.

"I see that as a development of the mental side of our game.

"We have to look seriously at how we get ourselves into these positions. You cannot gift people the ball in this league.

"With a penalty count of 7-3 and a turnover count of 7-1 in the first half you are going to make things hard for yourself."

Harlequins: Brown, Strettle, Tiesi, Turner-Hall, Monye, Malone, Care, Jones, Botha, Ross, Kohn, J. Evans, Easter, Skinner, Guest.
Replacements: Williams for Monye (74), Luveniyali for Malone (73), Fuga for Botha (67), Lambert for Ross (73), Robson for Kohn (67), Robshaw for Easter (48).
Not Used: Gomarsall.

London Irish: Hewat, Ojo, D. Armitage, Mapusua, Tagicakibau, Hickey, Richards, Corbisiero, Paice, Rautenbach, Kennedy, Johnson, Thorpe, S. Armitage, Hala'ufia.
Replacements: Seveali'i for Hickey (45), Hodgson for Richards (52), Coetzee for Paice (58), Lea'aetoa for Rautenbach (58), Casey for Johnson (45), Fisher for S. Armitage (75).
Not Used: Thompstone.

Att: 9,239

Ref: Dean Richards (RFU).