GLOUCESTER have been knocked out of the LV= Cup after Saracens beat Exeter Chiefs on Sunday.

Sarries’ 35-18 win at Allianz Park meant they finished three points above Gloucester in Pool One despite the Cherry and Whites beating Harlequins 25-7 in a three-try victory on Saturday at Kingsholm.

Gloucester defence coach John Muggleton praised Gloucester for their effort after the Quins win.

Muggleton said: "We are very happy with the result. We took a couple of line-outs (on the Quins line) where we could have gone for scrums but you never know with them, you could get driven back.

“We made a couple of breaks and got close at the end but we are happy with what we have done. Nick (Walshe. Attack coach) and I are very proud of the players and what they have done."

The Cherry and Whites were never headed in the clash with Quins as tries from flankers Dan Thomas and Jacob Rowan plus wing Steph Reynolds, along with two penalties and two conversions from fly-half Aled Thomas were enough to see them home, albeit without a try bonus point.

Quins went over for a try by wing Ugo Moyne, which fly-half Ben Botica converted and may have got another during the game but could not find the path through.

It began, though, with a dull first half with too many mistakes leading to a lot of whistle from referee Tim Wigglesworth.

Gloucester had the best of a bad period and turned around in front - but only just.

Thomas' first penalty, a long range effort after Quins were caught offside, got the home side off the mark and his namesake flanker Dan Thomas, profited from the only real try-threatening attack of the half until the last few minutes.

He was at the base of a maul that formed from a Gloucester attacking line-out, and the Quins pack simply did not have an answer to the push as Thomas waited to see sight of the line and then easily touched down.

Fly-half Aled Thomas converted and then put over a scruffy penalty from thirty metres after Quins had collapsed a scrum.

But the game was just drifting along and Harlequins looked half asleep as the half-hour came and went with them still behind 13-0.

Finally, however, the Londoners, who were out of the Cup before the match kicked-off, got themselves out of slumberland to threaten the Cherry and Whites inside the home 22.

And the pressure in the last five minutes of the half paid off when a sweeping move across the backs saw full back Ross Chisholm send a deft pass out to wing Monye to drive in at the corner.

Fly-half Botica converted well from the touchline and suddenly the game was afoot and Gloucester's hopes of getting a bonus point victory to put them top of the group overnight were in the balance.

But Gloucester steadied their nerves and regained the lead when Rowan went over under the posts for Thomas to convert.

And, as the hour mark came and went, Gloucester began to reassert their authority, particularly up front where the Quins eight struggled to hold the home pack.

As they got on top, so a third touchdown arrived for the home side as centre Billy Meake tore past the Quins midfield and linked with Reynolds on the left who stormed over.

Quins mounted a rare attack down the left wing but were bundled into touch five metres from the line. It did, though, signal intent by the Londoners. Number eight Netani Talei was prominent in the moments where Quins managed to advance but the one big chance they had was snuffed out when poor hands saw Gloucester take the opposition back to the half-way line.

And that turned out to be the final assault from Quins although they did salvage the honour of not conceding the bonus point as twice Gloucester came close to scoring only to put a foot in touch on one wing and then see replacement Kai Little bundled into touch a foot from the line by wing Ollie Lindsay-Hague.