HALF-CENTURIES from Michael Powell and Mark Wallace gave Glamorgan a lifeline going into the final day of their LV= County Championship clash against Derbyshire at Cardiff.

The visitors remained firm favourites to wrap up their first away victory of the season but Glamorgan avoided the embarrassment of an innings defeat, ending the third day on 250 for seven as they followed on – an overall lead of 96 – after Powell (87) and Wallace (66 not out) shared in a sixth-wicket partnership worth 136.

At the start of the third day Glamorgan needed 44 more runs to avoid the follow-on after resuming their first innings on 174 for eight.

With captain Alviro Petersen falling in the seventh over of the morning for 93, trapped leg before by Tim Groenewald, it was left to the final pair of Dean Cosker and Will Owen.

But five runs short of their target, Owen was bowled by Chesney Hughes attempting a slog sweep with Glamorgan bowled out for 213.

The follow-on was immediately enforced by Luke Sutton and by lunch Glamorgan had slumped again to 43 for three with Petersen out for the second time in the session, going leg before to Tony Palladino to a ball that kept low.

In his previous over Palladino had Will Bragg lbw playing across the line and first man to go was Gareth Rees, caught behind off Jonathan Clare. The afternoon did not get much better for the home side with Ben Wright playing an ugly slash to be caught behind, giving Palladino his third wicket.

Jim Allenby became the fourth Glamorgan batsman to get into the teens before perishing to Tom Knight, giving the teenager his first scalp in first-class cricket.

Allenby was given out leg before by umpire John Steele but the batsman was not happy with the decision, seeming to suggest he hit it.

But after that Powell, who went to his fourth half-century of the season from 111 balls with six fours, and Wallace steadied the ship and ensured Derbyshire would not celebrate an innings victory over the Welsh county for the first time in 30 years. Powell was eventually bowled by Wes Durston after being stuck on 87 for 12 balls, but despite also losing James Harris, Wallace survived into the final day.