Watch highlights of day three
Chris Rogers led the Middlesex bid to salvage what might prove a crucial draw on the third day of the LV= County Championship Division One match against Somerset at Taunton.
The experienced Australian opener was unbeaten on 97 as his side closed on 140 for one, still trailing the hosts by 160, after being forced to follow on.
Dawid Malan was 34 not out, having helped continue the fightback started by Eoin Morgan and Toby Roland-Jones in the morning session.
Morgan made 82 and Roland-Jones a career-best 77 as Middlesex secured an unlikely batting point by progressing from 64 for seven in their first innings overnight to 223 all out. Alfonso Thomas took 3-32 and young spinner Jack Leach chipped in with 3-40.
That bonus point put Middlesex 14 ahead of Lancashire, who they meet in their final game, in the battle to avoid relegation. Five more points from a draw would put huge pressure on the Red Rose county going into the last fixture at Emirates Old Trafford, starting next Tuesday.
Middlesex began the day still needing a further 310 to avoid the prospect of following on. But any hopes Somerset had that their opponents would roll over were quickly dispelled by the determination of Morgan and Roland-Jones.
Unbeaten on 36 overnight, Morgan moved to a half-century off 111 balls, with nine fours. Roland-Jones was dropped on 26 by Marcus Trescothick diving to his right at second slip and it proved an expensive miss.
By lunch Roland-Jones had progressed to within one of his best first-class score of 63, having reached 50 off 97 deliveries, with nine fours. Morgan was unbeaten on 74 and the pair had added 107 in the morning session.
The score had reached 191 by the time they were parted, Roland-Jones being snapped up by Tom Abell, diving forward at short-leg in Johann Myburgh's first over of the day.
Trescothick had delayed the introduction of his second spinner and may have rued the decision as left-armer Leach enticed Morgan down the pitch to be stumped by Craig Kieswetter.
The introduction of the second new ball led to the conclusion of the Middlesex innings as Tim Murtagh miscued a catch to point off Alfonso Thomas. But the visitors had secured an unlikely batting point in their fight for First Division survival.
There was more staunch resistance to come after Sam Robson had fallen cheaply for the second time in the match, lbw to Trego pushing half forward, when Middlesex followed on.
Rogers survived a few alarms to reach a rapid 50 off 44 balls, with 10 fours, and found a reliable partner in Malan as they frustrated the home attack to such an extent that skipper Trescothick gave batsman Abell his first overs in championship cricket before the end.
It was off the medium-pacer that Rogers brought up the century partnership. By the close he had faced 142 balls and hit 16 fours.
Having dominated the game, the home side now face an all too familiar tough task in bowling their opposition out on the final day at Taunton.