Nick Easter surges over as Quins join Leicester and Bath on 57 points
Harlequins completed their march to the top of the Premiership with a 10-try thrashing of Worcester at the Stoop.
Replacement Nick Easter scored a hat-trick to make it seven wins from their last eight league matches for Quins and make them leaders on points difference.
A Worcester side with five debutants were within five points with 35 minutes left, but lost touch as the hosts ran rampant in the closing stages.
Harlequins next face high-riding Bath in a crunch weekend game at the Rec.
It is Harlequins' first appearance at the Premiership summit since autumn 2003, but they had looked uncertain to rack up the 30-point winning margin needed to claim top spot when South African prop Shaun Ruwers rumbled over for the visitors.
His score, and Loki Crichton's subsequent conversion, made it 19-14 at the start of the second half after Danny Care, Tani Fuga and Chris Robshaw had crossed for the home side before the break.
But having squandered a host of opportunities early on, Harlequins found a cutting edge in the final quarter to finally turn their possession into points.
Ugo Monye joined fellow England stars Easter and Care in making his return to his club and a powerful run took the winger in after Jordan Turner-Hall had touched down.
Full-back Mike Brown rounded off a flowing move after Easter's support had maintained the momentum after Chris Malone's burst through some flimsy defence.
The number eight, introduced to the action at half-time, then dotted down three times in the last twelve minutes with Tom Williams getting in on the act after David Strettle's mazy run.
Harlequins director of rugby Dean Richards: "Being top is irrelevant when we have three tough games to go. If we are in the top four at the end of the season then I will be happy.
"All these England boys are coming back to us now and they are desperate to play. They don't want to be on the bench. There is a real ambition to achieve something this year.
"If you are saying first is great, it is not. You achieve nothing with three games to go."
Worcester director of rugby Mike Ruddock:
"I know we had a young team with five debutants and a lack of cohesion but our average penalty count has been 10.4 per game this season and tonight we conceded 24 full penalties and two free kicks.
"We also had two yellow cards so spent a quarter of the game without a full back row. Quins are a quality team and you can't keep defending against them.
"It is very difficult for us to front up three times in six days and we are looking over our shoulder. Bristol are a fine team and they are starting to play well now - but it is in our hands."
Harlequins: Brown, T. Williams, Tiesi, Turner-Hall, Monye, Malone, Care, Jones, Fuga, Ross, Kohn, J. Evans, Robshaw, Skinner, Guest. Replacements: Strettle for Tiesi (16), Luveniyali for Malone (62), Gomarsall for Care (51), Botha for Fuga (62), Lambert for Ross (51), Robson for J. Evans (69), Easter for Skinner (41).
Worcester: Crichton, Penn, Luscombe, King, Fellows, Carlisle, M. Powell, Gilding, Fortey, Ruwers, Lyons, Gillies, Kitchener, Abbott, T. Wood. Replacements: Crook for Crichton (62), Arr for Penn (49), Page for Lyons (3), Davies for Ruwers (70), R. Wood for T. Wood (73). Not Used: Wheatcroft.
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