YORKSHIRE are in danger of suffering a second Specsavers County Championship defeat in three matches as Somerset put themselves into a winning position ahead of today’s fourth day at Scarborough.

Somerset confidently took their lead to 289 with seven second-innings wickets in hand from mid-morning onwards yesterday. They will resume on 234-3.

It would be their first win in eight this season and avenge last month’s three-run defeat against Yorkshire at Taunton in the process.

This has been another frustrating week for Andrew Gale and co.

In the last fortnight they have been outplayed and lost to Middlesex at Lords before having the worst of last week’s rain-affected pink ball draw against Surrey at Headingley.

Here, they have been unconvincing in all facets of their game, including their catching.

Stand-in captain Tim Bresnan has dropped a couple of first slip chances, including opener Ed Byrom on 24 off Liam Plunkett just after lunch yesterday.

The most important one, however, came on day one when he let Craig Overton off the hook on 22 in the first innings with Somerset 215-9. They went on to get 268.

Yorkshire’s frustrations were further compounded after lunch yesterday when Plunkett had to leave the field after bowling six overs in Somerset’s second innings complaining of soreness in his groin.

He did not return to field for the rest of the day and joined Ryan Sidebottom on the treatment table.

Sidebottom left the field midway through his fifth over of the match on day one with a back/side injury, and both men are likely to require scans to determine the extent of the damage.

Plunkett’s fitness is of immediate concern to Yorkshire given he is central to their plans for the forthcoming NatWest T20 Blast, which starts with a home match against last season’s fellow beaten semi-finalists Nottinghamshire at Headingley tomorrow.

Losing those two was a major reason behind Yorkshire’s failure to make significant inroads into Somerset’s top order in their second innings.

Harry Brook claimed a maiden Championship wicket when he bowled Byrom with an inswinging yorker for 40, leaving the score at 80-2 in the 34th over.

Ben Coad had earlier got Marcus Trescothick caught at second slip.

Somerset’s third-wicket pair James Hildreth and Championship debutant Tim Rouse put the hosts in complete control by sharing 144 inside 34 overs.

Hildreth, 85 not out, posted his first fifty of the season off 82 balls and Rouse his maiden half-century off 97.

They did not let Adil Rashid, in particular, settle before tea. Afterwards, they picked off runs with a great deal of ease, although 18.3 overs were lost to bad light at the end of the day.

Coad did have time, however, force Rouse to chop on for 69.

As much as Somerset are favourites, this game is not completely beyond Yorkshire.

Given Somerset are second-bottom and came into this match 29 points adrift of safety, they realistically have to win.

And there is not enough time remaining for them to post a total which is completely beyond the White Rose.

Batting conditions were at their easiest yesterday, but Andrew Gale’s side simply have to bat better than they have been doing of late if they are to avoid a third defeat of the campaign.