Exiles go clear - Sport in brief - Evening Standard
       

Exiles go clear

Full-back Delon Armitage and fly-half Peter Hewat shone for London Irish as they went two points clear at the top of the Guinness Premiership with a 42-12 home victory over Gloucester at the Madejski Stadium.

The Exiles have now won 10 consecutive matches in all competitions since an October 5 defeat at Worcester in the league.

James Downey's second-half try handed Northampton a 23-13 victory at Franklin's Gardens as Harlequins were punished for their lack of discipline.

Downey struck with 20 minutes to go after Quins, with hooker Tani Fuga in the sin-bin, had lost the ball at the line-out.

Ugo Monye's try had put the visitors in control at the break, with Nick Evans continuing his impressive form with the boot.

But after Jon Clarke's converted try levelled the scores, Andy Gomarsall and then Fuga were yellow-carded and Downey burst clear.

Toby Flood ran the show against his former club Newcastle as Leicester inflicted the Falcons' fifth straight Premiership defeat.

The fly-half contributed 10 points with the boot as well as setting up Geordan Murphy for the game's opening try in a 20-3 win.

Matt Banahan secured a dramatic last-gasp 24-20 victory for Bath over Sale Sharks as they climbed to second place in the table.

Replacement Dave Walder sparked a blistering three-try final 10 minutes for Wasps as Ian McGeechan's men clocked up a fourth consecutive win beating Saracens 33-24, while a last-minute penalty from Ed Barnes gave Bristol a thoroughly deserved 20-20 draw against Worcester at Sixways.

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