Gateshead 0-70 Harlequins

Gateshead (0) 0
Harlequins (12) 70
Tries: Wilkes, Gale, Bolger 2, O'Callaghan, Howell, Clubb 3, Sarginson, Melling, Koupartisas, Randall
Goals: Gale 7, Melling 2

Harlequins centre Tony Clubb has won three international caps for England

England centre Tony Clubb ran in a hat-trick as Harlequins went on a 13-try Challenge Cup rampage at Gateshead.

Ben Bolger bagged a brace, while teenager Dan Sarginson scored on his debut as Quins returned to top form after eight games without a win.

Sarginson was taking a break from his A-level studies to make his Quins debut at the International Stadium.

Quins ran in six first-half tries, four of them in a stunning eight-minute spell just before the break.

The Londoners were top of Super League after winning three of their opening four matches.

Triggered by their nightmare 82-6 record defeat at Warrington in March, they then went into freefall in Super League, taking just one point from their last eight games.

But becoming the first side into Sunday's fifth round Challenge Cup draw should prove a big tonic for Rob Powell's side.

Quins' victory, in front of just 402 fans, was entirely predictable against rank outsiders Gateshead Thunder, who won just one game last season and have yet to beat professional opposition in 2011.

The Championship One bottom club were nilled for the fourth time this season but they gave as good as they got in the opening quarter.

They trailed only to Oliver Wilkes' converted try before Luke Gale made it two, then Quins finally hit their straps with four tries in eight minutes approaching half-time.

Bolger dived over in the corner and Jamie O'Callaghan went between the posts after Olsi Krasniqi went past a weak Josh Stoker challenge.

David Howell twisted over in the tackle and then Clubb threw a dummy 15 metres out to give Harlequins a commanding 32-0 interval lead.

There was more punishment to come early in the second half when replacement Sarginson came on to score from close range.

Clubb then took O'Callaghan's short pass to dart over and Chris Melling raced clear from distance following Andy Ellis's break near halfway.

Quins' ninth touchdown broke the 50-point barrier but, although outmuscled by their full-time opponents, Thunder stuck gamely to their task.

There were still four more tries to come, however, in the final 20 minutes.

Bolger dived through a gap before young debutant Sarginson's lofted kick over the top bounced back kindly into the hands of Kouparitsas.

Quick hands across the line saw Clubb complete his hat-trick and there was still time for playmaker Randall to complete the scoring two minutes from time.

Gateshead Thunder: Brown; Williams, Stephens, Ward, Peers; Condron, Clarke; Staveley, Hodgson, Parker, Stoker, Kelly, Bate.

Replacements: O'Sullivan, Payne, Massey, Morris.

Harlequins RL: O'Callaghan; Clubb, Howell, Melling, Gale; Randall, Temata; Ellis, Wilkes, Koupartisas, Ambler, Ward, Williams.

Replacements: Bryan, Sarginson, Bolger, Krasniqi.

Attendance: 402.

Referee: Craig Halloran (West Yorkshire).