Ryan: We did the business

12 April 2012

Gloucester director of rugby Dean Ryan hailed his side's battling qualities after a last-gasp James Simpson-Daniel solo try sealed a 22-11 win at London Irish.

Tries from James Bailey, Rory Lawson and Simpson-Daniel ensured table-topping Gloucester remain at the summit of the Guinness Premiership. But despite notching up a fourth consecutive league win, Ryan revealed the Cherry and Whites must uncover a killer instinct if they are to triumph domestically this season.

"We have a tendency to leave sides in the game for too long and that must change," said Ryan. "We have all the possession and territory and then we give away the ball and leave sides in with chance for the whole 80 minutes."

He added: "I'm pleased with the result because a win is a win. If you'd have offered me this margin of victory in the wet at London Irish at the start of the season I would have taken it.

"It's particularly pleasing considering London Irish's line-out prowess and this is one of the hardest places to come in the whole league.

"We have a strong squad now and obviously the internationals make this a very difficult time but we've got strength in depth - we did the business again."

London Irish director of rugby Brian Smith was left cursing his luck after a late wayward pass from one-time England centre Mike Catt handed Gloucester the points.

With just 10 minutes remaining, Irish trailed by just four points but Catt's uncharacteristic loose pass to flyer Delon Armitage saw Simpson-Daniel race 70 metres to score the deciding try.

Earlier, a Riki Flutey try and two penalties from kicking machine Barry Everitt kept London Irish in with a sniff of an unlikely win.

"We did well to get ourselves back into a position to win the game in the final minutes but it wasn't enough," said Smith. "It was a four-point game and if the pass to Delon (Armitage) had been a few inches higher we could have been going in for a score to win the game."

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