Sussex slipped closer to a fifth Championship defeat in their last six games as Durham tightened their grip at Arundel Castle.

Steve Magoffin had given Sussex a glimmer of hope with a superb opening spell after they had been bowled out for 201 - deficit of 100.

Magoffin picked up four wickets for two runs in the space of 16 balls to reduce Durham to 13-4 but a century partnership between Scott Borthwick and Gordon Muchall helped them reach 168-6 at the close.

A lead of 268 already looks formidable, especially as there were no signs of improvement in their batting in the first innings.

Resuming on 44-2 overnight they slumped to 135-8 at lunch as Chris Rushworth picked up three wickets to complete a five-wicket haul and reach 50 first class scalps for the season.

Rushworth removed Luke Wright, Chris Nash – who came in at No. 7 due to illness – and Ajmal Shahzad to leave Sussex in danger of falling short of the follow-on target.

They avoided that fate largely to an unbeaten 37 from on-loan Somerset spinner George Dockerell who put on 40 for the last wicket – the highest partnership of the innings - with Tim Linley.

Sussex needed early wickets to keep themselves in the game and Magoffin delivered with two in his first over.

Michael Stoneman lasted just two balls before he edged the Australian to Luke Wright at third slip and two balls later Keaton Jennings feathered Magoffin to Ben Brown behind the stumps to leave Durham 1-2.

Magoffin knocked out Paul Collingwood’s middle stump with his ninth ball and bowled Richardson in his fourth over to leave Durham reeling on 13-4.

Sussex scented blood at that stage but the lack of a third seamer due to the injury of Shahzad let Durham off the hook.

Borthwick reached his 50 from 70 balls before he was bowled by a beauty from Luke Wells for 70 while Muchall brought up his second half century of the game from 80 deliveries.

Linley removed Ryan Pringle just before the close for 15 but Muchall remained unbeaten on 66 and will look to stretch Durham’s lead past 300 in the morning.