MARTYN Moxon says Yorkshire’s loss of five wickets for 30 runs either side of lunch on day four ultimately sent them towards a Specsavers County Championship defeat against Somerset at Emerald Headingley.

Yorkshire’s director of cricket was left to reflect on a 224-run defeat which leaves them second bottom in the Division One table, one point behind Hampshire with four to play.

Moxon, while obviously disappointed, was far from despondent given the jam-packed nature of the top-flight.

Yorkshire are one of six teams who could realistically go down heading into the final month of the season.

Chasing an unlikely target of 419, Yorkshire were bowled out for 194 with 26.3 overs remaining in a day which started with them 8-2.

They took six points from a clash with a Somerset side who sit second and still have designs on winning a first title in their history.

Kane Williamson top-scored with 51 in his final appearance of the season as overseas, while nightwatchman Josh Shaw hit a career best 42.

Those two shared 90 for the third wicket and batted through all bit 10 minutes of the morning session before the Overton twins, Craig and Jamie, united to complete a visiting win.

They shared six wickets, with speedster Jamie finishing with 4-25.

“The effort and the spirit within the group is fine. We just need to play better for longer,” said Moxon. “That’s the bottom line.

“It’s still in our hands. We have four games left against teams around us. Nobody’s safe from third down. Whilst that’s the case, there’s hope.

“There were some positives.

“The way we went about our batting in the first innings (320) was really good.

“Then that little clatter around lunch (day four), started by a poor decision against Josh Shaw, which was going down leg, cost us. That started the problem.

“Kane got a bit of a brute from Craig Overton after lunch, and that period cost us the game. As we know, you can’t win a game in an hour, but you can lose it.

"Unfortunately we let periods of potential dominance slip, and you can't afford to do that.

"First-innings bowling started really well, and the second hour released the pressure. Then we were clawing it back. We started well in both innings, but we weren't able to maintain the pressure for long enough.

"That's a little bit of inexperience in that respect.

"Matthew Fisher's toe injury restricted him in the second innings.

"Batting wise, similar. We fought really hard, but we had a clatter of wickets in both innings, which costs you.

"We can see there's fight in the team. We had a clatter of wickets today, but we still gave everything to try and save it and took it deep.”

Yorkshire, in seventh, are 26 points behind fourth-placed Nottinghamshire with a game in hand and them next up at Trent Bridge from Tuesday.

Even champions Essex in third, who have leaders Surrey to play twice, are still in the mix.

Matthew Fisher will miss Trent Bridge with a toe injury, while Steve Patterson (finger) and Ben Coad (side) will only return against Lancashire the week after next at the earliest.

Tim Bresnan comes back into contention after resting, while the workloads of David Willey and Jack Brooks will be assessed. That could mean a debut for seamer Mat Pillans alongside overseas opener Jeet Raval.

A decision is also to be made on wicketkeeper Jonny Tattersall’s fitness after a back spasm.