NEC Harlequins full-back Mike Brown believes he is ready to stake a claim to a regular Guinness Premiership starting slot after notching his first hat-trick in Quins first team colours.

The 21-year-old starred in Saturday's 57-10 rout of French side Montpellier at the Stoop to his team top of European Challenge Cup Pool Four.

Fellow young guns Adrian Jarvis, 22, Danny Care, 21, and Jordan Turner-Hall, 18, shared the plaudits in a dominant display, as Quins registered back-to-back victories in the competition they won in 2004.

Director of rugby Dean Richards described the quartet's form as a huge boost with star players Stuart Abbott, Hal Luscombe and David Strettle nearing full fitness.

Brown, who has recovered from being dropped after the season-opening defeat at the hands of London Irish to start Quins' past four cup games, is ready to fight for his place in the starting line-up.

"I didn't think I had my worst game against Irish," he said.

"I made a couple of mistakes due to nerves and, at this level, they are punished.

"I have worked on my kicking and my speed since then and you just have to put those mistakes behind you and focus on the positives.

"I believe I am ready to play regularly in the Premiership.

"At the moment, I am just trying to cement my place in the team.

"With Tom Williams and Gavin Duffy around, you have always got to be at your best.

"It is important we keep the older guys on their toes."

Brown got Saturday off to the perfect start by rounding off a set move from a 5m scrum in the eighth minute.

Scrum-half Care, a livewire all afternoon, crossed two minutes later and the floodgates soon opened, with Tani Fuga and Ollie Kohn bulldozing over for a 31-5 half-time lead.

Williams got the scoreboard ticking again soon after the break with a converted try, before Tom Guest went over from the back of a scrum. Brown added the extras.

The Twickenham Green resident completed his hat-trick with two tries in the final two minutes to seal a memorable win on home turf.

"There is nothing like scoring one try so to score three is amazing," Brown said.

"I just hope I have done enough to keep my place but that is down to the management to decide."

Quins hope to take their winning form into the Guinness Premiership at home to Northampton on Saturday.