KENT’S brave rearguard action in Southgate counted for nought when they finally succumbed for 410 to lose to Middlesex by 119-runs.

Unlike the first two days when Kent struggled to compete, they fought tooth and nail on this the final day until last man Ben Trott fell leg before to Paul Weekes without scoring.

It left Niall O’Brien high and dry on 67 not out and Middlesex 21-point winners whereas Kent take just three points from their second successive defeat.

The visitors battled for the draw in reaching 371 for seven, but the loss of Alex Loudon (44) and Min Patel (14) soon after tea were nails in the coffin.

Loudon went to the second ball after tea, leg before to Owais Shah when right back on his stumps, then Patel went back to cut Jamie Dalrymple only to lose his off stump.

Ian Butler played some lusty shots in his 14, but he looked less than pleased to be given out caught down the leg-side off Dalrymple by substitute wicketkeeper Ben Scott.

After the demise of Michael Bevan in the opening session of the day, David Fulton and Matt Walker teamed up to reach 236 before Walker fell soon after lunch when he shouldered arms to a Paul Weekes arm ball to go for 28.

Fulton reached the 24th ton of his career with a straight drive off Melvyn Betts for his 12th four and his first century against Middlesex.

But his 372-minute stay ended when McGrath, with the fourth over with the new ball, found some extra bounce to have Fulton well caught in the gully by Ben Hutton.

In the morning session Kent lost just one vital wicket, that of Australian new-boy Bevan for a solid 66.

The Aussie left-hander had reached 66 inside 224 minutes for his part in a third wicket stand worth 162 in 60 overs when Middlesex struck.

Spinner Paul Weekes made the breakthrough, finding an inside edge for a bat-bad catch that Ben Hutton gleefully accepted one-handed a short leg.