Premiership: Harlequins 48-20 Newcastle - Quins boost play-off hopes

Louis Lynagh's try gave Harlequins a half-time lead before they pulled away after the break

Harlequins kept their Premiership play-off hopes alive with an eight-try thumping of bottom side Newcastle.

Andre Esterhuizen, Louis Lynagh, Josh Bassett, Dino Lamb, Joe Marchant, Alex Dombrandt, twice, and Fin Baxter all went over to move Quins up to sixth.

Mateo Carreras scored the opening try for Newcastle and when Freddie Lockwood scored their second try, the game was in the balance at 22-20 to the hosts.

But Quins quickly regained control with four tries in the final 10 minutes.

It leaves Harlequins seven points behind Northampton in fourth with two games remaining.

Quins host Bath next Saturday, before finishing the regular campaign with a potentially pivotal game at third-placed Leicester.

Newcastle, who suffered a 12th defeat of the campaign and look set to finish bottom, are six points behind Bath in 10th.

Harlequins were made to work hard for victory and fell behind to Carreras' score after the hosts lost possession near Newcastle's line and the Argentine sprinted away and eventually touched down.

The home side pushed ahead with Esterhuizen going over from close range and a second try from Lynagh after another five-metre line-out.

Bassett stepped off the left wing to score a third try for Quins and the bonus point was secured when Esterhuizen offloaded for Dombrandt to score.

But Newcastle remained in touch through the boot of Brett Connon and when another firecracker break from Carreras was finished by Lockwood, the visitors were back within two points.

There was no panic from Quins and they quickly reasserted themselves as Dombrandt was worked into the left corner.

Lamb then took a line-out to score, Marcus Smith's perfect cross-field kick found Marchant who touched down and 21-year-old prop Baxter applied the coup de grace with his first try for Quins.

Harlequins: Bassett; Lynagh, Marchant, Esterhuizen, Murley; Smith, Care; Marler, Walker, Louw, Lamb, Herbst, Wallace, Evans, Dombrandt.

Replacements: Riley, Baxter, Kerrod, Hammond, Kenningham, Gjaltema, Beard, Allan.

Newcastle: Obatoyinbo; Radwan, Stevenson, Moroni, Carreras; Connon, Young; Brocklebank, Blamire, Tampin, Peterson, de Chaves, Rubiolo, Chick, Fearns.

Replacements: Cade, Mulipola, Kenny, Lockwood, Marshall, Stuart, Thomas, Lucock.

Referee: Matthew Carley

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