Fly-half Ali Hepher gave Bedford the lead with a penalty after seven minutes, but Quins responded with a smart try from full-back Tom Williams.

The Londoners then lost lock Simon Miall to the sin-bin as Bedford pressed and another strong drive ended in at try under the posts that Hepher converted.

Quins then hit back five minutes later when a chip ahead left centre Greenwood with the simplest of touchdowns, Jarvis converting, but Bedford replied immediately, flanker Adam Kettle breaking free in the Quins 22 and galloping to the line for Hepher to convert.

Jarvis’s two penalties, the first involving the sin-binning of scrum-half Dominic Malone, then gave Quins a slender lead going into the second half, Jarvis extending their advantage with his third penalty when Bedford No 8 Shaun Brady collected a yellow card for a dangerous tackle.

Ironically, Jarvis’s fourth penalty came from a scrum offence soon after Brady had returned, and he and Hepher each kicked two more as the game turned into duel between the two fly-halves, with little in the way of fluency or cohesion from either side.

Quins, however, finally managed the two attacking movements that sealed their success. After 77 minutes wingman Simon Keogh found enough space on the right to stumble through the Bedford defence and regain his feet to score and with the game deep into injury time, No 8 Nick Easter drove powerfully over for Jarvis to convert.

"I'm not making excuses, but we had four key players missing today and it makes a difference," said Bedford coach Mike Rayer. "Credit to Harlequins. They have an outstanding squad and that quality showed through in the end."

Bedford Blues: J Hinkins; C Moir, L Roberts, M Allen (capt), M Staten; A Hepher, D Malone (M Comb, 65); S Tonga’uiha, C Johnson, J Brooks, J Phillips, A Brenton (K Dickson, 65), A Kettle (S Harding, 78) ardinHhHHH, C Rainbow, S Brady. T: Pen, Kettle. C: Hepher 2. P: Hepher 3. Yellow card: Malone 34, Brady, 44.

NEC Harlequins: T Williams; S Keogh, W Greenwood, G Duffy, U Monye (M Brown, 55); A Jarvis, S So’oialo (I Vass, 72); C Jones, T Fuga (J Richards, 60), L Ward (R Nebbett, 56), J Evans, S Miall, T Guest (L Sheffiff, 78), A Vos (capt), N Easter. T: Williams, Greenwood, Keogh, Easter. C: Jarvis 2. P: Jarvis 5. Yellow card: Miall 16.

Referee: T Wigglesworth (RFU)