Eddie Howe has thanked the Newcastle hierarchy for backing him in his hour of need after emerging from a dark winter.

The Magpies romped to a 4-0 Premier League victory over top-four candidates Tottenham at St James’ Park on Saturday to boost their own hopes of European qualification despite missing 11 players through injury or suspension, six of whom could be conceivably named in his strongest starting line-up.

It was their third win in four games since the international break, a run in stark contrast to a sequence of eight defeats in 10 outings in all competitions around the turn of the year, during which the club’s Saudi-backed owners remained steadfast despite the first murmurings of disquiet around their 46-year-old head coach.

Howe said: “I always say the most important thing for me is not during the good times, but the difficult moments which will inevitably be there.

“There will always be negative and difficult moments and it’s the support you get then that is the defining factor.

“You need stability, calmness, level heads and to be allowed to focus on your work. The people behind the scenes have done all of that for me.”

Howe, his staff and his players have done much the same in the face of an injury list which has remained stubbornly lengthy throughout a challenging campaign.

On Saturday, they started with their back-up goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, winger Jacob Murphy at right-back, third-choice right-back Emil Krafth and left-back Dan Burn playing as two of three central defenders and left-sided frontman Anthony Gordon operating on the right.

But it was the way in which the players implemented Howe’s game-plan to the letter which won the day as they lured Spurs into their trap by allowing them possession and then hitting them with devastating counter-punches.

Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon punished two errors from defender Micky van de Ven inside as many first-half minutes to set the ball rolling, and the imperious Sweden international ran away from his Netherlands counterpart after the break to make it 3-0 before Fabian Schar completed the job at the death with a bullet header.

With six games to go, Newcastle could yet drag themselves to within three points of last season’s tally of 71 – and they will have key midfielder Bruno Guimaraes available to aid their cause after he safely negotiated an 11th outing on nine bookings – although Howe is refusing to look too far ahead.

He said: “We’ve got a long way to go to get there. Six games to go and we’ll give our best to try to win every one.”

Opposite number Ange Postecoglou headed back south chastened, but ready to come out fighting once again.

He said: “There’s no point sitting around feeling sorry for yourself. There’s another game in two weeks. We’ve just got to get ready for that.

“It’s not the first time it’s happened to us and it won’t be the last. It’s part of our growth. Sometimes that growth is painful. That’s part of it and you’ve just got to embrace it, use it and get ready for the next challenge.”

Conor McGregor will make his long-awaited return to UFC on June 29 after nearly three years out.

Dana White confirmed that the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion will fight Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June.

McGregor – who has 22 wins and six UFC defeats – has not competed in the UFC since July 2021 when he sustained a horrific leg break against Dustin Poirier, who he had previously fought and lost to six months earlier.

Speaking about the fight, White said on Saturday that McGregor’s return had been “all about timing”.

“There’s all kinds of things that go on behind the scenes and it’s all about timing. Chandler’s been ready but Conor hasn’t been ready,” White said.

“We talked about this in one of the press conferences recently, he had a lot of obligations that he had to deal with.

“What you don’t want him doing is accepting a fight when he’s got a ton of obligations and he can’t train 100 per cent for a fight, so here we are tonight.”

Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovacic admits the title run-in will be a test of nerve.

The champions kept the pressure on rivals Arsenal and Liverpool at the Premier League summit with an emphatic 5-1 win over relegation-threatened Luton on Saturday.

City now have just six games remaining of what has been an enthralling title race.

Kovacic, who scored City’s second goal in a commanding display at the Etihad Stadium, said: “It’s amazing, it’s entertaining. Three amazing teams doing great.

“It will be tough until the end and let’s see who will have the strongest nerves until the end.

“It was important to keep the pressure on them but we are focused on ourselves, to win our games and then in the end we’ll see what happens.”

City dominated in all departments against the Hatters but they benefited from a huge slice of luck to take the lead after just two minutes.

Erling Haaland’s acrobatic volley was heading well wide until catching Daiki Hashioka in the face and deflecting into the net for a highly unfortunate own goal.

Perhaps with next Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Real Madrid in mind, City then played at a slow tempo and it was not until the 64th minute when Kovacic doubled the lead with a thunderous strike.

Haaland then added a penalty and the hosts finished strongly with further goals from Jeremy Doku and Josko Gvardiol after Ross Barkley had grabbed a consolation.

“We kept going, doing our job and in the end scoring five goals,” said Kovacic. “It could have been even more but we are happy with the three points. We have to keep going now.

“We approach every game focused, to be 100 per cent and do our best. I think this game was as important as Wednesday. We need to keep the same focus and try to win.”

Despite seeing his side outplayed and still rooted in the bottom three, Luton manager Rob Edwards was not downhearted and remained confident of survival.

Edwards said: “This game was never going to derail us, whatever happened.

“The supporters have been incredible all season long, home and away. They are all behind the players and me and that is really special. It gives me belief.

“The players and the staff give me that belief as well and we know we are capable of winning the next five games. I’m not saying we’re going to win them all but we feel we can win enough games.

“We have got three home games and I think it is difficult for any team to come to Kenilworth Road. We are up for this challenge.”

Juan Soto’s three-run homer backed a stellar season debut by Cody Poteet and the New York Yankees rolled to an 8-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians for a doubleheader sweep on Saturday.

With a 3-2 victory in the opener, the Yankees are 12-3 for the seventh time in their history and first since 2003. They have won eight of nine road games.

Poteet allowed one run and six hits over six innings to earn his first win since 2021 with Miami. He did not pitch in the majors last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2022.

Soto’s three-run homer came off starter Triston McKenzie and was preceded by Anthony Volpe’s RBI single.

Josh Naylor and Estevan Florial homered for Cleveland, which is 1-9 in its last five doubleheaders.

In the opener, Oswaldo Cabrera hit a two-run homer and Clay Holmes survived a shaky ninth inning.

Brewers slug way to another win

Jake Bauers snapped a tie with a three-run homer and the Milwaukee Brewers scored at least seven runs again in an 11-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles.

Rhys Hoskins also homered and Willy Adames and Brice Turang each added three hits for the Brewers, who have scored 58 runs in their last six games, with at least seven in each. That streak ties a franchise record set in 1982 and 1989.

Ryan Mountcastle, Jordan Westburg and Adley Rutschman went deep for Baltimore, which has allowed 22 runs in the first two games of this series.

Milwaukee went 6 for 10 with runners in scoring position and is 33 for 69 (.478) over the last six games.

Cubs’ Imanaga continues strong start

Shota Imanaga allowed one unearned run over 5 1/3 innings and Michael Busch homered in his third straight game to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 4-1 win over the Seattle Mariners.

Imanaga has thrown 15 1/3 innings in his first three major league starts without giving up an earned run. He scattered five hits, struck out four and walked two.

Mark Leiter Jr., Yency Almonte, Hector Neris and Adbert Alzolay surrendered just two baserunners in 3 2/3 innings of relief.

Seiya Suzuki and Miguel Amaya added solo home runs as the Cubs improved to 2-3 on a nine-game road trip.

Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg vowed to embrace his opportunity to make history in what promised to be a thrilling final round of the 88th Masters.

Aberg is making his major championship debut at Augusta National after only turning professional in June, but went into the last 18 holes just three shots off the lead held by world number one Scottie Scheffler.

No player has won the Masters in their first major start, while Fuzzy Zoeller was the last player to win a green jacket on their tournament debut in 1979.

“I think about it all the time. I’m OK thinking about it,” Aberg said after a third round of 70.

“Obviously I’m a competitor and I want to win tournaments. I feel very fortunate to be in this position and to be here playing golf.

“I don’t think you should shy away from it. I don’t think you should try to push it away. I try to embrace it, and I try to be okay with all that comes with it, I guess.”

Scheffler birdied the 18th in round three to claim a one-shot lead over Collin Morikawa, who would just be a US Open victory away from completing a career grand slam if he triumphs on Sunday.

Max Homa was two shots off the pace following a 73 containing 17 pars and one bogey, with Aberg another stroke back and Bryson DeChambeau four off the lead after a remarkable birdie on the last.

Shot of the day

Bryson DeChambeau was staring at a bogey and six-shot deficit before holing out from 77 yards for an unlikely birdie on the 18th.

Statistic of the day

Top statistician Justin Ray suggests the winner will be one of Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, Max Homa, Ludvig Aberg or Bryson DeChambeau.

Quote of the day

Max Homa readies himself for a Sunday scrap at Augusta.

Hardest hole

Despite Bryson DeChambeau’s last-minute heroics, the 18th played as the hardest hole thanks to a fiendish hole location. A total of five birdies, 18 bogeys and six double bogeys resulted in a scoring average of 4.467.

Easiest hole

The eighth hole reclaimed its crown as the easiest hole from the second, yielding 27 birdies and just two bogeys for an average of 4.617.

Key tee times (all BST)

1435 Neal Shipley, Tiger Woods
1845 Cameron Young, Tommy Fleetwood
1905 Cameron Davis, Nicolai Hojgaard
1915 Bryson DeChambeau, Xander Schauffele
1925 Max Homa, Ludvig Aberg
1935 Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa

Weather forecast

Mostly sunny skies and above normal temperatures are forecast for Sunday and Monday with highs in the mid to upper 80s. The wind will remain light out of the southwest and likely average 7-15 mph each day.

World number one Scottie Scheffler will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Masters after a rollercoaster third day at Augusta National.

Bidding to win a second Masters title in three years, Scheffler carded a third round of 71 to finish seven under par, a shot ahead of fellow American Collin Morikawa, whose 69 was one of just two sub-70 scores on Saturday.

Max Homa is two shots off the lead after a 73 containing 17 pars and one bogey, with Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg a shot further back, the 24-year-old having only turned professional 10 months ago.

No player has won the Masters on their major championship debut, but Aberg has defied the odds ever since joining the paid ranks, winning on both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour and justifying his wild card by helping Europe regain the Ryder Cup in Rome.

Aberg and Ryder Cup team-mate Nicolai Hojgaard both have the chance of becoming the first player since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979 to win on their Masters debut, with Hojgaard briefly holding the outright lead following a hat-trick of birdies from the eighth.

But Hojgaard then bogeyed the next five holes and will start the final round five shots off the pace.

That looked set to be the case, at best, for overnight joint leader Bryson DeChambeau, who duffed a pitch on the 15th into the water to run up a double-bogey seven and carved his drive on the 18th deep into the trees.

The former US Open champion had other ideas though, pitching back on to the fairway and holing out from 77 yards for the most unlikely of birdies to close within four shots of Scheffler.

Scheffler had suffered his own double bogey on the 10th and also bogeyed the 11th to fall two shots behind playing partner Hojgaard, but holed from 30 feet for an eagle on the 13th and birdied the 18th to claim the outright lead.

“I feel like my game is in a good spot and has been for a while,” said Scheffler, who boasted form figures of 1-1-2 coming into the week.

“Major championships are always very challenging and it’s nice having a lead going into tomorrow. The eagle on 13 was extremely important.”

Morikawa and DeChambeau had both hit the 13th green in two but three-putted for par as the hard and fast greens continued to pose problems for the players, despite far calmer conditions than over the first two days.

Playing alongside Tiger Woods, who slumped to a career-worst 82, Tyrrell Hatton admitted he was “devastated” to four-putt the 18th to record a third round of 73 and slip to three over par.

“For the kid inside of me, playing with Tiger at the Masters, like that’s really cool. That’s certainly not lost on me,” Hatton said.

“But at the same time I’m going out there competing, trying to put together the best round I can and trying to move up the leaderboard, which for 17 and a half holes I feel like I did a really good job of.

“Yeah, I’m devastated, to be honest. It’s tough to take. I don’t know how I have to play golf around here to shoot under par.”

Rory McIlroy was alongside Hatton on three over after a 71 which effectively ended his chances of the win he needs to complete a career grand slam, while Woods’s 82 was his worst score in the Masters by four shots, a day after making a record 24th consecutive halfway cut.

“I didn’t have a very good warm-up session and I kept it going all day,” said Woods, who insisted he would contest the final round on Sunday.

“Just hit the ball in all the places that I know I shouldn’t hit it. And I missed a lot of putts. Easy, makeable putts. I missed a lot of them.”

Defending champion Jon Rahm admitted he had a “sour feeling” at not being in contention following a third round of 72 which left him five over.

A day after setting a tournament record in the Masters, Tiger Woods suffered an unwanted milestone at Augusta National.

Woods insisted he could challenge for a 16th major title after playing 23 holes on Friday to make a record 24th consecutive cut, but slumped to a third round of 82 instead.

The 48-year-old’s previous worst scores both came in 2022, when he shot 78 in both the third and fourth rounds.

Woods followed a bogey on the fourth with a superb birdie on the difficult fifth, but then bogeyed the sixth and ran up a double bogey on the seventh.

The 15-time major winner also made a double bogey on the par-five eighth for the first time in his career and dropped another shot on the ninth in a front nine of 42.

Woods made five more bogeys and a birdie on the 13th in a back nine of 40 in what was his 99th round in the Masters.

Wataru Endo says Liverpool need an immediate reaction to a pair of disappointing results that have damaged Jurgen Klopp’s hopes of making a triumphant farewell.

Last weekend’s 2-2 draw at rivals Manchester United dented the Reds’ Premier League title bid as an intense three-way tussle for the crown continues.

Worse was to follow on Thursday night as Liverpool collapsed 3-0 at home to Atalanta in a shock Europa League quarter-final first-leg defeat.

Klopp’s men face an almighty challenge to turn things around in Italy next week, but first comes Sunday’s Anfield encounter Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

“It’s tough,” midfielder Endo said after the shock Atalanta result. “I think they did very well offensively and defensively, they had good tactics and they played well so we need to work hard.

“But we have one more game before we play Atalanta next and we need to react now. It is always about how we react, it is about the results.

“Another game is coming so it is just about getting ready for that and we need to step it up to try and win.

“It is always a tough opponent but we play at Anfield again, so we have to start strongly and offensively we have to make it better. Better than the last few games, yes.

“I am glad the game is coming this quickly because we have a chance to win again quickly so we just get ready and we want to win the game.”

Endo says the Reds must move forward with positivity, which should be made easier by the fact key players are returning for the run-in.

Diogo Jota came on for his first appearance in two months on Thursday, when Trent Alexander-Arnold and Stefan Bajcetic were unused substitutes.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker is also back in training and Endo said: “It is a positive that almost everyone is coming back to play.

“I think we are fine and we will stick together and try and win the next game.”

Mauricio Pochettino said he doubts whether Chelsea could have handled a European campaign this season as he has grappled with an injury crisis.

The Argentinian could be without 11 players for Monday’s game against Everton, with Enzo Fernandez and Raheem Sterling the latest doubts for the meeting at Stamford Bridge.

It has been the club’s first campaign without European competition since 2016/17, and only their second since 1996/97, following a 12th-place finish in the Premier League last season.

An unbeaten run of seven games, their longest in the league for almost 18 months, has put them in contention to reach either the Europa League or Conference League, whilst they could also qualify by winning the FA Cup.

But Pochettino said the team’s injury problems will need to be addressed if they are to take on more games next season.

“Imagine if we had played in Europe this season, with all the circumstances (injuries)? Oh my goodness,” said the 52-year-old.

“With a squad that is always between eight and 10 players missing in every single game. If you add more games, we would struggle a lot.

“Now it’s about experience, to have all the information to try to help the club to take the best decisions to avoid things like happened this season.

“That is out principal focus, to try to define a squad that can be fit, or have more than 80 per cent availability.”

Teams in previous seasons have benefited from having a season without European competition, taking time to regroup before following up with much improved campaigns the following year.

Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers in 2013/14 came within two points of winning the title whilst not having to contend with a European schedule, whilst Chelsea were crowned champions under Antonio Conte in 2016/17 a year after finishing 10th.

Mikel Arteta led Arsenal to a fifth-place finish in 2021/22, the club’s first without Europe in 26 years, during which the team showed significant progress that has led to them challenging for the title in consecutive seasons.

Pochettino countered that the situation at Chelsea, whose owners have spent over £1billion on assembling a young and largely inexperienced squad, cannot be compared to previous examples.

“Now, it’s completely different,” he said. “You cannot compare to Conte or Brendan Rodgers, it’s not fair. We are in a different Chelsea today.

“The conversation is always to win the next game, then the next and then the next, and see in which position we arrive.

“To have targets is always good. But to have a target it is to have all the elements on (your) side. With all the circumstances we are living (with injuries), it’s about trying to be competitive in the next game, not to put objectives that maybe you will get very frustrated if you don’t win some games that you are supposed to win.”

Aurelien Tchouameni’s deflected strike was enough to secure Real Madrid a 1-0 win at Mallorca and keep them out on front at the top of LaLiga.

France midfielder Tchouameni broke the deadlock early in the second half as Real extended their unbeaten league run to 25 matches and after arch-rivals Barcelona’s win later on Saturday night, the gap remains eight points.

The two sides meet in El Clasico next Sunday and Barca also remain in top form as they made it six straight wins in all competitions after Joao Felix’s first-half overhead kick secured all three points in Cadiz.

Barcelona were indebted to goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen for their win as the German goalkeeper made two crucial saves to deny Cadiz pair Javi Hernandez and Diadie Samassekou.

Antoine Griezmann scored twice to help keep Atletico Madrid on course for the final Champions League spot after a 3-1 home win against Girona, who remain third.

Griezmann’s first-half penalty cancelled out Artem Dovbyk’s early opener for Girona and Angel Correa headed Atletico into the lead in stoppage time before the break.

France forward Griezmann added his 12th league goal of the season early in the second period as Girona slipped to their fifth defeat in eight league matches.

Rayo Vallecano edged six points clear of the relegation zone after being held 0-0 at home by Getafe.

In the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich got their domestic campaign back on track as second-half goals from Raphael Guerreiro and Thomas Muller sealed a 2-0 home win against Cologne.

It was a crucial win for Bayern, who had lost their previous two league matches, as Champions League rivals Stuttgart, Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund all won.

Dani Olmo, Benjamin Sesko and Lois Openda were on target for Leipzig in their 3-0 home win against Wolfsburg and Dortmund held on to win 2-1 at Borussia Monchengladbach despite the second-half dismissal of Germany winger Karim Adeyemi.

Marcel Sabitzer gave Dortmund the lead and then converted a penalty before Max Wober hit back for the hosts before the interval.

Adeyemi’s second yellow card left Dortmund with 10 men for most of the second period, but they held on.

Third-placed Stuttgart extended their unbeaten run to nine matches with a 3-0 home win against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Serhou Guirassy, Deniz Undav and Jamie Leweling were all on target in the first half for Stuttgart, who are level on points with Bayern.

Mainz boosted their survival hopes with a 4-1 home win over Hoffenheim, which made it 10 points from their last four matches and lifted them to within a point of Bochum, who drew 1-1 against Heidenheim.

In Serie A, Juventus failed to close the gap on second-placed Milan after they were held 0-0 by derby rivals Torino.

Juve have won only one of their last six domestic league matches and are five points behind Milan and 19 adrift of leaders Inter, with the top two both in action on Sunday.

Fourth-placed Bologna failed to capitalise on Juve’s dropped points as they were also held to a goalless stalemate at home against Monza, while Nicola Sansone’s late goal clinched Lecce a 1-0 home win against Empoli.

In Ligue 1, Reims’ hopes of European football next season were dealt a blow as they lost 3-1 at Strasbourg and Rennes had a setback in their bid for a top-six finish after losing 2-1 at home to Toulouse.

Joao Felix’s overhead kick sealed Barcelona a 1-0 win at lowly Cadiz and lifted his side back to within eight points of LaLiga leaders Real Madrid.

The Portugal forward converted with a bicycle kick following a first-half corner and with the help of two crucial saves from goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Barca extended their winning run in all competitions to six matches.

Barca, who edged the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final 3-2 against Paris St Germain in midweek, are now unbeaten in 13 before next weekend’s El Clasico at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.

Cadiz had boosted their survival hopes by winning two of their previous three in LaLiga and they had their chances, but they remain three points from safety.

Felix’s strike lit-up a first half of few clear-cut chances, in which Cadiz went close to taking a 22nd-minute lead when Javi Hernandez’s drilled angled effort forced Ter Stegen into a sharp near-post save.

But Barca edged in front in the 37th minute with their first real effort on goal following a corner.

Sergi Roberto headed the ball on and Joao Felix swivelled to send a bicycle kick inside Cadiz goalkeeper Conan Ledesma’s right-hand post for his sixth league goal of the season.

Barca should have extended their lead shortly before half-time when the ball broke to Fermin Lopez on the right edge of the box, but his goalbound shot was brilliantly blocked on the line by Cadiz defender Victor Chust.

Cadiz thought they had made an ideal start to the second period as Juanmi turned home Iza Carcelen’s low ball into the box, but the effort was ruled out as the striker was clearly offside.

Chust then headed narrowly wide for the home side, whose appeals for a penalty soon after when the ball appeared to hit Barca defender Pau Cubarsi on the arm were waved away, with the incident not reviewed by VAR.

Felix went close to doubling Barca’s lead through his first-time effort from Ferran Torres’ cross as the action flowed.

Barca were indebted to Ter Stegen with 10 minutes remaining as the German goalkeeper’s flying save from Diadie Samassekou’s thumping long-range shot preserved their slender lead.

Following Real’s 1-0 win at Mallorca earlier on Saturday, Barca closed the gap back to eight points ahead of next Sunday’s showdown between LaLiga’s top two.

Jason Day has revealed that he was asked to remove his sleeveless jumper by tournament officials during the second day’s play at Augusta National.

Day’s striking top attracted plenty of attention on social media and also, it appears, from tournament officials.

“Yeah, they asked me to take it off, the vest off yesterday,” Day said after his third round on Saturday.

“Respectfully, you do that because it’s all about the tournament here, and I understand that. I respect the tournament. That’s what we’re here to do is try and play and win the green jacket.”

Asked if he had been given a specific reason for the request, such as the Malbon logo and text being too big, Day added: “I don’t know. I didn’t ask.

“They said, can you take it off? I said, yeah, no worries.”

Day also had no problem with jokes about the dangers of wearing very baggy trousers on an extremely windy day, admitting: “Yeah, if it’s down breeze these things puff up pretty quick.”

Warwickshire piled up the second-highest total in their history to put Durham under pressure in their County Championship Division One game at Edgbaston.

The home side, led by Alex Davies’ maiden double-century, amassed a giant 698 for three declared to leave Durham needing 549 to avoid the follow-on.

The visitors closed the second day on 178 for three with Alex Lees, unbeaten on 94, leading the resistance but with work still to do to dig his side out of trouble.

Keaton Jennings put his disappointment at missing out on England’s Test tour to India behind him by beginning his campaign with an unbeaten half-century for Lancashire against Hampshire.

He totted up 85 with only one dropped catch as a blemish in an otherwise authoritative innings, with his opening partner Luke Wells reaching 55.

Lancashire ended the day on 233 for four, 134 runs behind Hampshire’s first-innings total at the Ageas Bowl, having previously bowled their opponents out for 367.

Cameron Bancroft announced his return to Gloucestershire by scoring a half-century on day two against Yorkshire at the Seat Unique Stadium.

Returning to the club he last served in 2017, the 31-year-old Australian top-scored with 70 and shared in a stand of 98 with Miles Hammond for the fourth wicket as Gloucestershire recovered from 28 for three to post 263 in their first innings.

Lyndon James and Calvin Harrison starred as Nottinghamshire took control of their Division One match against Worcestershire on day two at Trent Bridge.

James struck 96 and Harrison added 52, racking up 146 for the seventh wicket, as the hosts took their overnight 305 for six to 399 all out.

Leg-spinner Harrison then returned 3-78, removing Adam Hose, Rob Jones for 90 and then Jason Holder for a second-ball duck, to leave Worcestershire 220 for six, still 179 runs behind.

Dom Sibley and Rory Burns led from the front as Surrey spent day two of their match against Somerset at the Kia Oval building a potentially match-winning lead.

Openers Sibley and Burns scored 100 and 75 respectively, putting on 167 for the first wicket, as Surrey advanced from their overnight 42 without loss to 358 for six, giving them a 73-run advantage at the halfway point.

Emilio Gay and James Sales both set new landmarks as Northamptonshire continued to dominate on day two of their clash with Middlesex at Wantage Road.

First-day centurion Gay forged on to post 260 – the highest-ever individual Championship score for the county against Middlesex, while Sales, brought back into the side for this game, made his maiden first-class hundred.

The pair set a new fifth-wicket record against the Seaxes of 181 before the hosts declared on 552 for six.

There was still time in the evening session for two young debutants to make an impression, Raphael Weatherall capturing his maiden first-class wicket, while Middlesex teenager Nathan Fernandes (65 not out) reached an impressive half-century before stumps were drawn with the visitors 128 for one.

Kent captain Daniel Bell-Drummond hit a second-successive County Championship century on a benign pitch where only two wickets fell all day on day two against Essex.

Bell-Drummond reached three-figures against Somerset last week and helped his side fight back here after suffering three-and-a-half sessions of unremitting toil in the field at Chelmsford.

However, in company with fellow centurion Ben Compton for 71 overs, Bell-Drummond helped put on 218 for the second wicket.

Needing 381 to make Essex bat again, Kent had knocked off 245 by stumps for the loss of one wicket with Bell-Drummond 134 not out and Compton unbeaten on 100.