Harlequins 22 Gloucester 14: match report That's the problem facing caretaker coach Stuart Lancaster as he attempt to find a side to face Scotland. Big games demand cool heads, intensity and accuracy of execution, and that has nothing to do with salaries or squad sizes. There wasn't much on offer for Lancaster during a fairly frantic first half at the Stoop. There was some wonderful movement from the Quins backline at times, well marshalled by Nick Evans and Danny Care, and fizzed along by the lively centre pairing of Jordan Turner-Hall and Matt Hopper, who scored for after 18 minutes. But just when it seemed that that duo might be a long term answer to England's crippling midfield problems, Turner-Hall butchered a couple of chances with some handling mistakes and Hopper made a terrible defensive error, allowing James Simpson-Daniel in for an easy try. Mike Brown was his usual fiery self in the first period, but the Quins forwards found it hard going against a Gloucester back row in which Akapusi Qera and Alasdair Strokosch were immense. Not that the Gloucester backline were relegated to the role of supporting cast. Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu shut up the defensive shop in the centre of the field, forcing Quins to explore the wider channels, and Mike Tindall aided Simpson-Daniel's s score with a neat decoy run. It made for an interesting contest and an interesting 11-10 scoreline to Gloucester at the interval. A major part of Quins' difficulties was the goal-kicking of Nick Evans. Usually immaculate, Evans fluffed two easy penalties in the first 40 minutes and another comparatively simple chance at the start of the second half before making amends with his fifth effort six minutes into the second period to hand Quins a slim advantage. Any hopes Quins had that the lead might settle them down disappeared shortly after when Freddie Burns banged over a penalty to restore Gloucester's lead. Cue a further frenetic spell of rugby where neither side found a player able to take control and dictate tempo. That will be another concern for Lancaster when he studies the tape of this contest. For all the energy and attacking intent offered by both teams, the game lacked a strategist. Even Evans, as composed a tactician as there is in world rugby, was unable to move his team around the field because for every successful imitative there was an accompanying error. There were moments of farce too. With the score 14-13 in Gloucester's favour, and with 13 minutes left on the game clock, Quins were awarded a scrum 5 metres from Gloucester's line, only for the entire Quins pack to wave their arms and invite Nick Easter, who was back defending on the halfway line, to scrum down with them. A slightly chastened Easter had the good grace to act the pantomime fool as he trotted up to join them. That scrum was the prelude to the decisive moments of the match. First Quins cranked up the pressure, sending a struggling Nick Wood to the sin bin as he cracked and crumbled as the drive came on. Then Care crossed but was brought back, quite rightly, for offside. And finally, as Gloucester failed to clear their lines adequately, Care threaded a kick through for Brown to touch down. Evans's conversion from wide out near the touch line only added to Gloucester's misery. Gloucester had one more attack of note but another strong scrum from Quins sent them packing. A victory against Connacht on Friday night for Quins and a quarter-final beckons.