• John Cooney scores 27 points as 52-24 win consolidates second spot • Joy Neville becomes first woman to referee European club fixture

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Ulster stayed in the race for European Champions Cup qualification by delivering a six-try thumping of Harlequins.

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Touchdowns from Stuart McCloskey, Craig Gilroy, Charles Piutau, Alan O’Connor, John Cooney and Andrew Trimble set up a 52-24 victory for Les Kiss’s side, completing back-to-back wins over the English club.

Cooney kicked five conversions and four penalties for a personal haul of 27 points at the Kingspan Stadium.

Despite the five-day turnaround, Ulster got the result they needed to stay secure in second place in Pool One, two points behind runaway leaders La Rochelle, who play at Wasps on Sunday.

It took four minutes for the hosts to get off the mark when Cooney kicked a penalty near the posts following a strong break by Rob Herring.

The Ulster scrum-half kicked a second penalty in the ninth minute after Winston Stanley was penalised following Marcus Smith’s ambitious cross-kick from behind his own line.

But Quins hit back after 14 minutes when Renaldo Bothma intercepted a Piutau pass and, although Gilroy did well to get back and haul the No8 down short of the line, the visitors recycled and Smith rounded Cooney to go over in the left corner.

Ulster responded three minutes later when McCloskey crossed after hacking on from a Christian Leali’ifano kick over the top. Cooney added a fine conversion from the touchline and Ulster led 13-5.

Craig Walker then had a possible score turned down by the TMO after Jacob Stockdale’s last-ditch tackle but almost immediately got in under the posts after a superb arcing run. Smith’s conversion cut Ulster’s lead to 13-12 on the half hour.

Cooney’s third penalty made it 16-12 in the 33rd minute – and that was the end of the first half scoring.

Ulster hit the ground running on the restart with Gilroy wriggling over four minutes in and Cooney added another excellent conversion to put the home side 23-12 ahead.

That became 26-12 in the 50th minute with Cooney’s fourth penalty and then five minutes later Piutau barged over for Ulster’s third try which saw Cooney miss his first kick of the game after six straight successes from the tee.

Again, though, Quins came back with Ross Chisholm’s 58th minute try which went unconverted – but then Kyle Sinckler’s yellow card on the hour saw the home side score immediately through lock O’Connor, who bagged the bonus point. Cooney’s conversion stretched Ulster’s lead to 38-17.

Quins picked up their bonus try from captain Dave Ward, with Smith adding the conversion.

However, Ulster grabbed their fifth try through Cooney, which the scrum-half converted to put them 45-24 in front.

And the home side brought up their half-century when Trimble dived over in the corner, Cooney again converting.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Joy Neville makes history, becoming the first female referee to take charge of a European rugby match. Photograph: Nicolas Tucat/AFP/Getty Images

First lady

Joy Neville, of Ireland, became the first woman to referee a European club fixture when she took charge of Bordeaux’s 36-27 Challenge Cup triumph over Enisei.

Bordeaux’s win helped them move above the Dragons into second place in Pool One, seven points behind Newcastle who edged the Dragons 27-25 at Rodney Parade to maintain their 100% record in the competition.

In Pool Four, Edinburgh also made it four straight wins by trashing Russians Krasny Yar Krasnoyarsk 78-0 at Murrayfield.

Worcester’s hope of progress into the last eight suffered a blow with a 27-20 defeat at Oyonnax, who recorded a first victory in Pool Five.

The Warriors could have moved above leaders Connacht, who will be out to extend a 100% record at home against Brive on Saturday. It was, though, the home side who produced the required performance on a freezing, snowy night in eastern France.

Julien Audy added a try to his two penalties and conversions as Oyonnax opened up a 20-3 lead at half-time on the artificial pitch.

Despite a second-half fightback with scores for Sam Olver and Alafoti Faosiliva, which secured a bonus point, it was not enough as the Top 14 side closed out a first win.