WORCESTERSHIRE head coach Kevin Sharp tried to focus on the positives after his team relinquished a winning position in defeat to Essex.

The winless hosts lost by 32 runs in County Championship Division One at Blackfinch New Road after bowling last season's champions out for 177 in the first innings.

The County led by 61 runs after Joe Clarke scored 105 in their reply of 238 but the game slipped away after Essex's second-innings effort of 275.

Highly-rated young seamer Josh Tongue returned match figures of 9-98 and Travis Head hit 62 for bottom-of-the-table Worcestershire but they were bowled out for 182 chasing a 215 target.

Sharp said: “It is a difficult one to take. I’m not sure we’ve really done a lot wrong throughout the game.

“Since the poor performance here against Notts, we went to Surrey and played particularly well.

"We’ve now played some fabulous cricket in this game on a pitch that has done a bit all match.

“Just before lunch on the second day we had got ourselves into a fantastic position of 140-2.

"Then Travis was given out caught behind, we lost Coxy (Ben Cox) just before lunch, (Ed) Barnard straight afterwards and it evened the game up again.

“We had them (on the ropes) and it was a bit unfortunate. It’s been toe-to-toe all the way through and could have gone either way.

“We fought hard and just weren’t able to do it. At one point it looked like we could and everyone is really disappointed.

“There are lots of good things to take from it. We’ve gone toe-to-toe with the champions and finished just short.

“For anyone to make runs on that surface, you’ve got to have that bit of luck as well and players who made runs in the match have played and missed a lot.

“It was excellent bowling from Josh. He’s had a bit of an ankle problem this winter and been finding his way again over the last few weeks and gaining confidence.

“He’s got there now and you can see that from his performance in this match. I’m sure the selectors will be keeping an eye on him.

“But it’s not been a post-mortem because it’s not been a poor performance.

“In this match particularly it is just disappointing to lose it but it’s not the same feeling as against Notts.

“We were really under-par and outplayed in that game but this has been a different kettle of fish."

The County start their Royal London One-Day Cup campaign at home to Derbyshire on Saturday (11am) with Australian import Head impressing.

Sharp added: “Travis is a fine, young player, an entertainer who plays some fantastic shots and he is learning how to play in English conditions.

“For all the shots he can play, he also knows how to build an innings and he is finding out how to play in some quite difficult English conditions.”