BATH kept up their challenge for an Aviva Premiership top-four place after an irresistible first-half performance set up a 38-14 victory over Harlequins.

The try bonus point was wrapped up in the first quarter after tries from Paul Grant, Freddie Burns, Elliott Stooke and Matt Banahan.

But after that a capacity crowd of 14,509 at the Rec had to be content with penalties from Burns and Josh Lewis.

Harlequins scored a try in each half through flanker Henry Cheeseman and replacement wing Gabriel Ibitoye, both converted by James Lang.

A lunchtime kick-off rarely suits the away team and Quins found themselves 7-0 down after just two minutes following a spectacular try that owed everything to Zach Mercer's footwork.

In a 50-metre burst, he stepped out of and around four attempted tackles before offloading to fellow back-row forward Grant.

Quins' fortunes dipped further when James Chisholm was sin-binned for upending Kahn Fotuali'i at a ruck after eight minutes.

Burns quickly added a converted try, strolling over unopposed after Banahan's barging run was halted at the posts. When Stooke crossed in the corner for Bath's third, the scoreboard was reading 19-0 after 13 minutes.

Tim Visser had a try ruled out at the other end for a knock-on by former Bath player Dave Ward, but the home side notched the bonus point inside 19 minutes when Fotuali'i stepped through an unguarded ruck and popped an overhead pass to Banahan.

Burns added the conversion and Quins finally began to respond. But it took an endless series of line-outs, scrums and penalties over 10 minutes before replacement back-rower Cheeseman forced his way over for a try.

Lang converted but Burns chipped over a short-range penalty to end the half with Bath 29-7 ahead.

A try-saving tackle by Alofa Alofa on Jack Wilson in the 50th minute prevented Bath from adding to their lead. Burns missed a long-range penalty but made amends with an easier effort on the hour as director of rugby Todd Blackadder ordered on five replacements.

Bath looked as if they would finally surge out of sight when Lewis broke clear from his own 22 but the ball went loose and Ibitoye sprinted 70 metres to score, with Lang kicking the conversion.

That prompted the home side to shut up shop and replacement fly-half Lewis was instructed to kick two penalties rather than kick to the corner in the hope of more tries.