GLOUCESTER had to come from behind to claim their second straight Guinness Premiership victory.

Trailing at half-time, Dean Ryan's side hit their stride after the break to see off a spirited Harlequins side full of attacking verve and endeavour.

Gloucester were outscored by three tries to two, but the kicking contributions of Willie Walker and debutant Olly Barkley sealed a first Kingsholm victory of the season for last season's beaten semi-finalists.

For a second weekend running, Gloucester ran into an opponent with a misfiring goal-kicker – but Quins still held a 13-5 half-time lead at Kingsholm.

After Butch James missed all five of his kicks against Gloucester a week ago, Chris Malone failed with his first four this time.

But his side took a deserved lead into the break after tries from young England stars Mike Brown and Danny Care.

Gloucester replied with a try from a talented young Englishman of their own – Olly Morgan – but Malone finally found his radar toward the end of the half to increase Quins' lead to eight points.

David Strettle set up the opening try with a scintillating jinking run into the 22, before Care slipped the ball to Brown to score.

Malone's conversion miss took his points tally of missed kicks to eight, but Quins were soon celebrating a second try when Brown just about managed to control his own teasing up-and-under, before setting up Care, who hacked ahead and beat Morgan to the ball to score.

Again Malone missed the conversion, and it looked as though his miss could prove costly when Morgan took Mike Tindall's pass and held off two defenders to score.

But Malone found his touch to make it 13-5 – before the half drew to a close with a number of referee Rob Debney's decisions infuriating the home crowd.

Gloucester made a bright start to the second half, Walker nudging them to within five points with a penalty before reducing the deficit even further with a drop goal.

They took the lead for the first time in the match when Quins skipper Will Skinner was sin-binned for not releasing and Walker's penalty made it 14-13.

With Skinner still in the bin, Gloucester increased their lead even further thanks to a magnificent try from Alasdair Strokosch.

Rory Lawson found Luke Narraway with a quick tap penalty, and the No 8 sent flanker Strokosch in from 40 metres to score a wonderful try. Walker converted to give Gloucester an eight-point cushion at 21-13.

But Quins fought back and they were soon back within a point, Malone capitalising on some sloppy Gloucester defending to score a try, which he then converted.

Barkley missed his first penalty in Gloucester colours – a long-range attempt from in front of the posts – but soon got his name on the scoresheet with an angled penalty from closer in.

Gloucester: O Morgan; M Watkins, M Tindall (capt), O Barkley, L Vainikolo; W Walker (R Lamb 66), G Cooper (R Lawson 55); N Wood, O Azam, C Nieto (A Dickinson 15), W James (A Titterrell 72), A Brown (M Bortolami 66), A Strokosch, A Hazell (P Buxton 55), L Narraway. Rep not used: M Foster.

Scorers: Tries – Morgan, Strokosch. Con – Walker. Pens – Walker (2), Barkley. Drop goal – Walker.

Harlequins: M Brown; D Strettle, G Tiesi, J Turner-Hall, U Monye; C Malone, D Care; C Jones, T Fuga (G Botha 58), M Ross, O Kohn (J Evans 33-41, 58), G Robson, C Robshaw (T Guest 58), W Skinner (capt), N Easter. Reps not used: M Lambert, A Gomarsall, T Williams, W Luveniyali.

Scorers: Tries – Brown, Care, Malone. Con – Malone. Pen – Malone.

Sin-binned: Skinner (60-72, not releasing).

Ref: R Debney. Att: 12,260.