Gloucester (27) 34
Tries: Vainikolo, Simpson-Daniel, Dickinson Cons: Robinson 2 Pens: Robinson 5
London Irish (3) 20
Tries: Roche, S Armitage, Murphy Con: Lamb Pen: Homer

Vainikolo scored Gloucester's first try before the break

London Irish's play-off hopes were dealt a huge blow as they were handily beaten by Gloucester at Kingsholm.

The hosts led 27-3 at the break courtesy of tries from Lesley Vainikolo and James Simpson-Daniel and 17 points from the boot of Nicky Robinson.

Irish scored tries through Kieran Roche, Steffon Armitage and Dan Murphy in the second half, but Alasdair Dickinson also crossed for the hosts.

Irish trail fourth-placed Wasps, who play Bath on Saturday, by one point.

Even if the Exiles beat high-flying Northampton in a fortnight's time, results involving Wasps and sixth-placed Bath must still go their way.

Irish showed two changes from the side that suffered a shock home defeat against lowly Leeds Carnegie last weekend, with centre Elvis Seveali'i and number eight Richard Thorpe both gaining recalls.

606: DEBATE What's gone wrong at London Irish and will they make the play-offs?

But the switches made little difference, with Gloucester far sharper in thought and deed throughout a game they controlled from start to finish.

Irish were quickly on the back foot, conceding an early penalty to Robinson before their Samoan international centre Seilala Mapusua limped off after taking a hefty knock to his right knee.

Tom Homer, Mapasua's replacement, landed an equalising penalty following a yellow card for Gloucester flanker Akapusi Qera, but the home side were not troubled during his 10-minute absence.

Gloucester forged ahead when the impressive Robinson's inch-perfect crosskick was caught by Vainikolo for a try, yet that was only the start of Irish's troubles.

Woeful indiscipline was readily punished by referee Sean Davey, and Robinson slotted three more penalties during a damaging six-minute spell for the visitors.

When Irish wing Delon Armitage was sin-binned for obstruction, Robinson landed his fifth penalty before Gloucester struck with a 70m breakaway try for Simpson-Daniel.

Former Wales international Robinson added the extras, and the game was effectively done and dusted at the break with Gloucester 24 points clear.

Vainikolo did not return for the second-half, watching from the sidelines with strapping on his right knee as Charlie Sharples replaced him.

And it was Irish who struck first after the break, driving Gloucester's forwards backwards from close range and Roche claiming the touchdown.

Chris Malone, though, missed an easy conversion, hitting the post from just 20m out before making way for former Gloucester fly-half Ryan Lamb, who was booed by many home fans among a 15,000 crowd.

Gloucester's New Zealand prop Greg Somerville appeared off the bench for his final Kingsholm appearance before returning Down Under this summer, and the home scrum suddenly began to cause Irish all kinds of trouble.

Irish then saw substitute Dan Murphy sin-binned for pulling down a scrum with the home side camped just five metres from their line, and Dickinson put them out of their misery when he rumbled over at the death.

Gloucester head coach Bryan Redpath: "I was very happy with the first 40 minutes, we controlled field position, created pressure and took our opportunities.

"We've got to go to Worcester now in two weeks' time and prove we are a side who should be in the top six.

"It's a case of ifs and buts and we've got a big challenge in two weeks."

London Irish head coach Toby Booth:
"If you want to be a consistent top-four team you have to deal with expectation. We've played poorly and not got results.

"When you relinquish field position, you give yourself a mountain to climb.

"We have contributed massively to our own downfall in the turnover and penalty stakes."

Gloucester: Morgan, Simpson-Daniel, Tindall, Molenaar, Vainikolo, Robinson, R. Lawson, Wood, S. Lawson, Doran-Jones, Attwood, Brown, Buxton, Qera, Eustace.

Replacements: Sharples for Vainikolo (40), Burns for Robinson (77), Pasqualin for R. Lawson (76), Dickinson for Wood (53), Somerville for Doran-Jones (57), James for Attwood (66), Strokosch for Qera (67).

Not Used: Azam.

Sin Bin: Qera (17).

London Irish: Hewat, Rudd, Seveali'i, Mapusua, D. Armitage, Malone, Hodgson, Corbisiero, Coetzee, Rautenbach, Roche, Casey, Gibson, S. Armitage, Thorpe, Paice.

Replacements: Joseph for Rudd (43), Homer for Mapusua (12), Lamb for Malone (55), Murphy for Corbisiero (57), Paice for Coetzee (57), Tideswell for Rautenbach (68), Stowers for Thorpe (57), Garvey for Paice (57).

Sin Bin: D. Armitage (34), Murphy (62).

Att: 15,090

Ref: R Debney (RFU).

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