Blues 23

Harlequins 12

Cardiff Blues stayed firmly on course for the Heineken Cup quarter-finals last night, after subduing Harlequins' spirited resistance at a windswept Arms Park.

The Blues will win Pool Three if they topple Memorial Stadium hosts Bristol tomorrow week.

Defeat in the west country, though, could let French champions Stade Francais through the back door. Stade's last game is away to already-eliminated Quins.

But Cardiff have control of their own destiny, which is everything head coach David Young would have wanted heading into the final round of group matches.

Quins made the Welsh side work hard, competing vigorously at the breakdown and holding their own in scrums and line-outs; yet Cardiff possessed a sharper attacking edge.

Centres Dafydd Hewitt and Tom Shanklin scored tries in each half, while full-back Ben Blair's accurate goalkicking netted him 13 points from five shots at goal.

Quins centre Hal Luscombe scored a try that briefly threatened Cardiff's victory prospects, while full-back Mike Brown claimed a late consolation effort - but the Blues were not to be denied.

French referee Romain Poite inspected the Arms Park surface three times in six hours, before giving the match the go-ahead after torrential rain lashed south Wales.

The weather relented before kick-off, though, with Cardiff going into battle as firm favourites - especially given Quins' dismal run of one win from 10 starts in all competitions.

The Londoners - already eliminated from quarter-final contention - travelled minus England World Cup players Andy Gomarsall and Nick Easter, while Nick MacLeod wore Cardiff's number 10 shirt as Nicky Robinson and David Flanagan both missed out through injury.

Cardiff made all the early running, piecing together phase after phase of territorial control, and Hewitt saw a fourth-minute try disallowed for midfield crossing.

Blair opened the Blues' account with a penalty 10 minutes later, putting Cardiff ahead despite playing into a strong wind and throwing down the gauntlet to Quins.

But in keeping with a side short of confidence, the visitors struggled to make headway - spilling possession at crucial times.

Their cause was not helped by fly-half Chris Malone missing two penalties in quick succession, and the Blues made him pay as half-time approached.

Flanker Martyn Williams, the game's most influential figure, once again cropped up in the right place at the right time - providing a defence-splitting pass to Hewitt, whose searing angle of attack took him clear.

Blair added the conversion, giving Cardiff a 10-0 interval lead as they looked forward to a second period with the elements firmly in their favour.

But Quins stunned them within 10 minutes of the restart, rewarding a sustained spell of pressure by claiming a well-worked converted try.

Wales international Luscombe was the recipient of Brown's excellent approach work - and with Malone converting from the touchline, alarm bells began ringing for Cardiff.

The home side needed to settle escalating nerves, yet Quins assisted them when South African centre De Wet Barry was sin-binned for a high tackle on MacLeod.

Blair booted the resulting penalty three minutes after landing another kick from similar range, hoisting Cardiff 16-7 clear entering the final quarter.

The clinching try arrived on 71 minutes when Shanklin appeared in the middle of a forward rush towards Quins' line, collecting the touchdown under a pile of bodies.

Blair converted - and although Brown had the final word, Cardiff could reflect on a satisfactory night's work that sets up their trip across the Severn Bridge in nine days' time.

Last night's other results

Stade Francais 19 Bristol 11; Ulster 25 Bourgoin 24