ESSEX strengthened their grip on this final-round Specsavers County Championship match against Yorkshire at Chelmsford by taking their lead to 391 at lunch on day three.

The White Rose team bowled well without luck for large parts of the new champions' second innings, which started the day with a lead of 116, but they reached lunch on 275-5.

Yorkshire claimed three wickets during a competitive third morning, including Ben Coad's 50th Division One wicket of the season when he trapped Dan Lawrence lbw for 83.

Nick Browne also posted 83 and Ryan ten Doeschate 53 not out.

Steve Patterson had Browne caught at second slip by Adam Lyth with his first ball of the morning, before Matthew Fisher trapped James Foster lbw for ten.

Lyth had earlier dropped Browne running back from slip on 59, having pulled at Jack Brooks.

Ten Doeschate and Simon Harmer (37no) shared an unbroken 70 for the sixth wicket to advance from 205-5.