Somerset hit back from a disappointing first innings to take three Kent wickets before the close of play on day one at Tunbridge Wells.

Despite choosing to bat, the visitors were torn apart by Ryan McLaren (5-31) and Robbie Joseph (4-67) as Peter Trego (49) helped them to 208 all out.

Somerset responded with the wickets of Joe Denly, James Tredwell and Rob Key.

Martin van Jaarsveld and night watchman Martin Saggers guided the hosts to 85-3, 123-run deficit.

A stand of 41 between Rob Key and van Jaarsveld had Kent on the way to recovery but Trego removed Key lbw for 48 just three overs before stumps.

Earlier, Somerset decided to make first use of a grassless pitch but in the first hour of play Kent claimed four wickets.

Neil Edwards played a fine extra-cover drive for four in his brief innings of 11 before being caught behind off McLaren who, with the next ball, got one to nip back sharply and uprooted Justin Langer's off-stump.

Marcus Trescothick looked well settled after striking four boundaries but Joseph was brought on in a double bowling change and he had the former England opener bottom-edged to first slip in his second over.

Two balls later, Joseph struck again when Zander de Bruyn shuffled across his stumps and was trapped lbw without scoring.

Shortly afterwards, Yasir Arafat had Ian Blackwell lbw and James Hildreth, who had earlier been dropped at slip on two, fell leg-before to McLaren in the first over after lunch.

The visitors' best stand came for the seventh wicket when Trego and Craig Kieswetter put on 54 in eight overs before McLaren had the latter held low at first slip by Justin Kemp for 20.

Top-scorer Trego played fluently, hitting nine boundaries including a perfectly-timed square cut off McLaren which brought up the hundred for Somerset.

He was just one short of his half-century when he edged Joseph to Geraint Jones, who clasped a fine low catch to his left.

The last two Somerset wickets added valuable runs with 28 from Ben Phillips, which included three fours and a huge six, while Steffan Jones hit four boundaries in his 22.