Harlequins coach Dean Richards pointed the finger at referee David Rose after Premiership leaders Gloucester mounted a second-half fightback to secure a 27-25 win at Kingsholm.

Richards was unhappy that Gloucester had only one penalty awarded against them after the break as they fought back from a 25-13 half-time deficit with 14 unanswered points.

Quins lost scrum-half Andy Gomarsall and prop Ceri Jones to the sinbin in quick succession after the break and Richards felt Rose had not done his side any favours.

"We got one penalty in the second half from a punch which was picked up by the tough judge," he said. "I don't know any side these days who can go through a half without giving a penalty away. It's incredible.

"I cannot understand it but who am I to question the referee. They're always right."

Quins secured the first of their two bonus points by running in four tries inside 33 minutes from Simon Keogh (2), Ugo Monye and Chris Malone, two coming while Gloucester flanker Andy Hazell was in the sinbin.

But Malone missed three conversions and Gloucester struck back in the second half with tries from Mike Tindall and a second touchdown from Lesley Vainikolo.

Chris Paterson kicked all three conversions and two penalties, making the three missed conversions by Malone and his late scuffed drop-goal all the more costly.

"We always knew they had the ability to come back but it is difficult to take," groaned Richards.

"But there aren't many sides who get a bonus point in the first half at Kingsholm and we did pretty well getting that.

"Games like that are what it's all about. It was a fantastic atmosphere and you either grow in stature or you drift off. All of my boys came through with flying colours."

Gloucester head coach Dean Ryan admitted to being worried in the first half but revealed that no tea-cups were launched in the dressing room to inspire the Premiership leaders to victory.

"It was very alarming," he said. "But I strongly believe it was down to the simple things.

"With some of the changes we'd made, we were so focused on getting bits and pieces right that we'd lost intensity and we talked about taking it back to as simple as we could get it and see what comes off the back of it.

"We were calm at half-time and I thought we got back into the game superbly. We solved the problem as soon as we came out when we prioritised what we wanted to think about."

More news from SportingLife.com