KENT came back to dominate the final session taking three wickets to knock the wind out of Surrey's sails.

Earlier, Kent reject Richard Clinton came back to haunt his former county by giving Surrey a slight edge at the mid-point of this Frizzell Championship top-of-the-table clash in Canterbury.

Going into the third day of four, Surrey have reached 263 for five for an overall lead of 37 runs - but it might have been worse had Kent not hit back with five wickets in the final session.

The visitors’ strong reply was based on the solid foundations of a season’s best opening stand of 170 between Clinton and Scott Newman.

Clinton was dropped on naught and 14 off the bowling of Ian Butler and Min Patel respectively and took advantage by scoring 58.

Slip fielders Matthew Walker and Alex Loudon were the guilty parties as Clinton was twice allowed off the hook.

Newman was the far more impressive of the two batsmen, reaching his 50 from 71 balls and his century in 150 minutes with 17 fours and a six.

The stand ended in the 42nd over when Matt Dennington trapped Clinton leg before with an in-swinging full toss.

In his next over Dennington accounted for Newman (111) who sliced a drive to gully where Walker this time accepted a low chance.

Rikki Clarke (33) nibbled a Min Patel arm ball to slip, Mark Ramprakash had reached nine when Dennington knocked back his off pole then Rob Joseph followed suit to send back night watchman James Ormond (8).

Earlier, Kent were dismissed for a battling 226 after losing their last two wickets to the first seven balls after lunch.

A stubborn record ninth-wicket stand of 105 in 34 overs between Ian Butler and Rob Ferley (29) came to an end when Ferley fended a James Ormond lifter to Ali Brown at slip.

Butler followed in the next over, going for a career-best 68 after edging to wicketkeeper Jonathan Batty to give Azhar Mahmood five for 54.