Billy Godleman hit his first century for Essex on an absorbing second day of their LV= County Championship match against Somerset at Taunton.

The former Middlesex batsman made 106, including 12 fours and three sixes, as Essex reached 262-5 by the close in reply to Somerset’s 387.

Leg-spinner Michael Munday claimed 3-100 to put a break on the visitors’ progress after Alastair Cook had contributed 41 to an opening stand of 89.

Earlier, Peter Trego finished unbeaten on 71 as Somerset added 59 to their overnight total of 328-7, sharing a last-wicket stand of 39 with Charl Willoughby.

Their partnership ended when Trego drove back a ball from Tim Phillips, who deflected it on to the stumps with Willoughby out of his ground. David Masters had claimed the previous wicket of Munday to finish with 4-83.

The Essex reply was launched in confident fashion by Cook and Godleman, whose highest first-class score of 113 was achieved for Middlesex on the same ground in 2007.

They took the score to 61 without loss at lunch, Godleman having survived a difficult chance to Arul Suppiah at midwicket off Munday.

Damien Wright produced a tight spell from the Old Pavilion End after the interval and made the breakthrough when Cook edged to Marcus Trescothick at first slip after facing 64 balls and hitting seven fours.

John Maunders, dropped on four by Zander de Bruyn, then helped Godleman take the total to 156 in the 46th over before somehow contriving to smash a Munday long hop straight to midwicket having scored 22.

The next ball from Munday saw Trescothick spill a straightforward catch at second slip offered by Jaik Mickleburgh. Godleman became increasingly assured as the afternoon progressed, using his feet well to the spinners and hitting Munday for two sixes and Suppiah for one.

The 200 had just been brought up when Mickleburgh was taken by Trescothick off Munday. Godleman then became the second batsman to perish to a Munday long hop. The ball failed to bounce and he was bowled swinging to leg with the score on 203.