Kent were once again fighting to save a match in the Vitality County Championship, reaching 85 for no wicket in their second innings against Nottinghamshire at Canterbury, still 123 behind at stumps on day two.

Tawanda Muyeye was unbeaten on 55 and Ben Compton was 22 not out when bad light stopped play with seven scheduled overs remaining.

Notts were all out for 433 early during the morning session, Nathan Gilchrist finishing with four for 101, but Farhan Ahmed then claimed four for 37 as Kent were dismissed for 225 in their first innings.

Joey Evison was the highest scorer, hitting 76 against his former side, while the second biggest contribution came from the extras column with 43.

Kent were forced to follow on and the seven bonus points the visitors have stockpiled mean that even if the hosts pull off an improbable win here, Notts would need just a single point from their final fixture next week at home to Warwickshire to ensure Kent go down – and if Lancashire beat Somerset, Kent will be relegated regardless of what happens on the final two days.

The visitors began day two on 393 for six and Luke Fletcher had moved to 22 when he played an elaborate leave shot against George Garrett, who clipped a bail.

Rob Lord survived a strong first ball appeal for caught behind but was lbw in the next over to Nathan Gilchrist, who then sent Ahmed’s off stump cartwheeling for two.

Dane Schadendorf was the last man to go when he holed out to Akeem Jordan and was taken by Daniel Bell-Drummond, who sprinted to long off.

Kent’s reply was just five balls old when Compton was adjudged lbw to Fletcher for four and Muyeye went for 10 when he flicked Fletcher to Lord on the square leg boundary.

It was 60 for two at lunch and Bell-Drummond went soon after, caught by Schadendorf off Lyndon James for 28.

Joe Denly edged Lord to Schadendorf for five and it nearly got worse for Kent when Freddie McCann put down Evison when he was one after he’d edged James.

Jack Leaning went for 26, trying to fend off a short ball from Lord that he gloved to Schadendorf.

Ahmed took a wicket with his first ball, getting Harry Finch caught at short leg by Jack Haynes and at that point the game looked like it might be over in two days, let alone three but Jordan made a game 23 in a partnership of 63 with Evison before he was lbw to Ahmed.

Ahmed then got Parkinson for a 28-ball duck after a sharp catch at short leg by McCann and an already interminable-seeming afternoon session was prolonged when Jacob Duffy bowled Nathan Gilchrist for four with last scheduled ball before tea.

Evison eventually holed out to Ahmed and was caught by Ben Slater on the deep cover boundary, forcing Kent were forced to follow on for the sixth time this season, but not for the first time this campaign they made a better fist of it second time around.

Muyeye sped to 50 from 49 balls but with the light deteriorating, play was abandoned at 6.06pm.

Nottinghamshire’s Farhan Ahmed said: “We’re definitely happy, all the lads put in a good performance in their first innings and hopefully we can get some more wickets tomorrow and put them under some real pressure.

“It’s unbelievable (the fielding) there were two half-chances and I was lucky they grabbed them so I’m happy. There’s some assistance in the pitch, some bounce and a bit of turn. There’s a bit of a mix so hopefully we’ll come back tomorrow and take some more wickets.

“It was very crucial that everyone gets on form and especially tomorrow hopefully everyone chips in and we can make a good fight of it. Fletcher was unbelievable and Dane is an unbelievable keeper as well. I played some twos cricket with him as well and he’s always performed so I wasn’t surprised.

“It’s very important (to take early wickets) but we still feel that if we take one at any stage we can take two or three so it’s about building dots up and building some pressure and hopefully we can get some wickets then. The plan was always to enforce the follow on because it’s not easy to win a four day game, so when you get a chance to win you have to enforce it.”

Kent’s Joey Evison said: “It’s been a tough day overall I guess. Not the worst day because that last session was really crucial. For me, batting out there I was just trying to keep the runs ticking over really, trying to keep out the good ball and keep putting their bowlers under pressure as well. We want to try and win this game as much as possible now and runs are really vital for us so whoever was batting with me it was just about, keep ticking the scoreboard over.

“They bowled really nicely, I think Lyndon was the pick of their bowlers, he got the ball swinging laterally which was quite a handful at times. Then obviously Farhan bowled nicely as well, but that last session has kept us in it really and we’ve still got a lot of hope in the changing room.

“Cricket’s a funny game and it can change as quick as that really. Tomorrow’s first session is crucial and it could go either way really but having been made to follow on we couldn’t have asked for much from the openers really. Compo and T played exceptionally well.

“All I’ve ever wanted is to bat in the top six and I fell like I’ve been a bit inconsistent really this season. At times I’ve shown glimpses of what I can do and today, having been dropped on two.

“It’s funny how when your luck’s in your lucks in and I feel like I had that luck today, which I needed because I’ve had a couple of low scores in the last month or so and I’m happy to contribute to the team today.”