Division Two leaders Essex bowled themselves into a winning position on day three of their Specsavers' County Championship game against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham College.

Although Gloucestershire captain Gareth Roderick helped himself to a first century of the season, it was Essex bowlers Matt Quinn (4 for 87) and Graham Napier (4 for 62) who stole the show and put their side within sight of victory.

Leading by 78 on first innings, Essex bowled out Gloucestershire for 290 and closed day three on 16 for 1, needing a further 197 runs for victory.

It was rough justice on Roderick, whose innings was one of genuine quality. With Chris Dent lending support at the opposite end, Gloucestershire made steady progress before lunch with the captain, once again, leading from the front.

The 24-year-old punished anything short or full and duly reached his half century with a boundary through mid-wicket. He struck six fours and faced 43 balls in passing 50 for the second time in the game. At lunch, which was taken seven minutes early due to rain, Gloucestershire were 88 for 0.

Essex were made to wait for the initial breakthrough as Roderick and Dent ticked over nicely in conditions that were certainly less troublesome than they had been on day one. However, with the score on 148, Dent, who took 91 balls to reach 50, departed, bowled by Ravi Bopra for 72.

Graeme van Buuren, who looked comfortable in reaching 25 in quick time, was second out in the 39th over before Roderick posted his first century of the summer, in the 50th over. He struck 11 fours and faced 134 balls.

The skipper was eventually out, lbw to Quinn for 102, at 228 for 3. Thereafter, the New Zealand-born opening bowler, who took seven wickets in the first innings, came into his own.

He sent back Hamish Marshall (0) and Jack Taylor (0), in quick succession and added Kieran Noema-Barnett (10) at 254 for 6, to leave Gloucestershire in a genuine spot of bother.

Craig Miles experienced the highs and lows of batting when he first, struck Quinn for six and was then caught off the very next ball, for 9, at 266 for 7. After that, David Payne and Liam Norwell departed at 269 and 278 respectively, before Gloucestershire's innings came to an end when Josh Shaw became Napier's fourth victim, at 290 all out. Michael Klinger was left high and dry, unbeaten on 53.

Essex did lose Jaik Mickleburgh before the close, but the league leaders will fancy their chances of winning and increasing the lead at the top of the table.