Gloucestershire's seam bowlers inflicted severe damage on Hampshire's chances on the third day of the CricInfo County Championship clash at Cheltenham.

Alastair Bressington and Ben Gannon proved major thorns in the visitors' side, taking three wickets apiece as they were bowled out for 230 to concede a first-innings lead of 104.

Gloucestershire then made good their advantage, Tim Barnett compiling a 63-ball half-century and sharing in an opening stand of 64 with Dominic Hewson.

Barnett was unbeaten on 70 when Gloucestershire reached the close on 104 for one, an overall lead of 208.

Bressington, making his first Championship appearance of the summer, claimed two wickets in nine deliveries in an impressive seven-over burst with the new ball and finished with 3-56 as Gloucestershire took control.

He accounted for openers Derek Kenway and Giles White in successive overs to reduce Hampshire to 34-2. Both were caught by Jack Russell, Kenway fending a short pitch delivery and White swishing down the leg-side.

Gannon replaced Bressington at the College Lawn End to bowl the 16th over and struck with his fourth ball, trapping Lawrence Prittipaul on the front foot to rock a Hampshire top order already deprived of injured captain Robin Smith.

Neil Johnson and Will Kendall had added 35 for the fourth wicket when the latter was undone by a Gannon yorker which bowled him in the last over before lunch.

Johnson launched a fight-back in the afternoon, scoring a 43-ball half-century and taking full advantage of a short square leg boundary to plunder 14 fours in all.

He and Jason Laney added 68 for the fifth wicket in 17 overs and the Zimbabwean left-hander had faced 80 deliveries when he lobbed lazily to mid-off.

Mark Alleyne then snared Adrian Aymes with his next ball as the visitors lost two wickets with the score on 161.

Hampshire were still 12 runs short of saving the follow-on when Shaun Udal became the seventh man out, gloving a lifting Gannon delivery behind to give the lanky paceman three wickets for 47.

Laney was dropped by Matt Windows in the covers on 25 and made good his escape to compile an 83-ball half-century.

But he was eventually left high and dry on 52 not out as Ian Harvey returned to rip out the tail, bowling Alex Morris and having Alan Mullally caught in the gully to finish with two for 48.