Joe Denly hit an unbeaten 82 as Kent kept alive their hopes of reaching the Royal London One-Day Cup quarter-finals with a comfortable seven-wicket win over Gloucestershire at Canterbury.

The 30-year-old opener hit nine fours and a six to anchor Kent's run-chase as they secured a fourth South Group win with 52 balls to spare and launch Canterbury Week in fine style.

Chasing Gloucestershire’s modest total of 200, Kent were given a fine start by in-form openers Denly and Daniel Bell-Drummond, who both went into the game boasting a 60-plus average in this season’s 50-over competition.

On a tricky pitch where boundaries came at a premium, the pair equalled Kent’s record List A first-wicket stand against Gloucestershire - drawing level with the 92 set by Brian Luckhurst and Graham Johnson at Canterbury in 1972 - when Bell-Drummond was bowled by Benny Howell for 42.

Denly, who hit centuries in Kent’s One-Day Cup games against Glamorgan in June and at the Ageas Bowl against Hampshire recently, maintained his form by marching to a 71-ball 50 with seven fours.

Spitfires skipper Sam Northeast contributed 26 to the chase before he mistimed a back-foot force against one that held up on the surface to clip a return catch to the bowler David Payne and make it 146-2.

Sam Billings' erratic form continued when he too clipped back a miscued drive to the bowler, this time against spinner Graeme van Buuren, bringing in Darren Stevens.

Where others had struggled for their timing, Stevens was soon blazing it to all parts. He moved past 7,000 List A career runs in the process and went on to win the game with a pulled six to finish unbeaten on 28 from 21 balls.

Having won the toss and elected to field, Kent made their opening breakthrough with the 12th ball of the day when Matt Coles bowled Phil Mustard for five. Seven for one became 29-2 when Coles (2-47 from 10 overs) struck again trapping Ian Cockbain for six.

The dismissal brought together Gloucestershire captain Michael Klinger and Kiwi batsman Hamish Marshall, so often Kent’s nemesis in recent seasons.

The pair added 42 in 12.1 overs until Klinger (36) played onto Stevens who completed his 10-over stint with figures of 1-28 as the visitors limped to 96-3 at the midpoint of their innings.

Stevens was duly replaced by Charlie Hartley, a 22-year-old Worcestershire-born seamer making his first Kent appearance since late 2014.

Fresh from back-to-back five-wicket hauls for Kent 2nds, Hartley struck in his second over, trapping Marshall (43) lbw and he then claimed Van Buuren in near identical fashion to finish with 2-23 from six overs.

Jack Taylor chipped up a simple return catch to Will Gidman, the on-loan Nottinghamshire seamer making his home debut for Spitfires against his former county, and Gidman then accounted for Howell and Craig Miles on his way to 3-28 from eight overs.

Tom Smith and David Payne added 36 for the ninth wicket before Payne ran himself out when chancing a second run to Bell-Drummond at deep cover.

As Gloucestershire finally limped to 200, so Mitch Claydon took his sole wicket by bowling Matt Taylor in the final over, leaving Tom Smith unbeaten on 29.

Kent, who are in the top four as it stands, travel to Hove to play Sussex in their final group game on Tuesday (1.30pm).