George Garton and Steve Magoffin helped Sussex gain a slight advantage on the second day of their County Championship clash with Essex at Hove.

Magoffin picked up the key scalp of England captain Alastair Cook for just one and also removed Dan Lawrence as Essex reached 252-7 when bad light stopped play.

Teenager Garton followed up his impressive debut against Northamptonshire last week by dismissing former England internationals Ravi Bopara and James Foster.

At one stage Essex were 219-7 in reply to Sussex’s first innings total of 360 but Ryan ten Doeschate and Graham Napier steadied the ship before the light faded.

Sussex will still be the more pleased of the two sides with their day’s work despite only adding five runs to their overnight total.

Jamie Porter removed Ajmal Shahzad and Magoffin with successive deliveries as Sussex’s hopes of maximum batting points were dashed inside an over.

Cook opened for Essex wearing a regulation helmet but lasted just five balls as he edged Magoffin to Nash at second slip.

Ollie Robinson had Nick Browne caught and bowled before Bopara gloved Garton to the wicketkeeper as Essex went to lunch on 84-3.

When Lawrence became Magoffin’s second victim Essex were in a spot of bother on 106-4 but Tom Westley and Jesse Ryder fought back with a partnership of 83.

Westley looked on course to score his second century of the season only to pull spinner Danny Briggs straight to mid-wicket for 86.

Ryder then fell shortly afterwards for 51 when he was well caught by Ed Joyce at first slip off Shahzad.

Garton picked up his second wicket when Foster got a slight inside edge and saw his off stump uprooted.