HEAD coach Paul Grayson admitted that the drawn game with Kent at Chelmsford "felt like a win" – and hailed the performance of youngster Ben Foakes.
Foakes scored an unbeaten 86 in an unbroken partnership of 142 with skipper James Foster as Essex recovered from 24-5 to earn a draw.
It is the latest chapter in what has by and large been a thrilling start to the LV> County Championship Division Two season for Grayson's men.
With two wins, two draws and two defeats from their first six games, Essex headed to Worcester on Tuesday in third place – and with the best bowling points haul in the division.
But they would have been worse off were it not for the efforts of Foakes and Foster – who made 52 not out – to secure a draw against Kent.
"It felt like a win to be honest," Grayson said. "The way that Mark Davies and Charlie Shreck bowled was fantastic, I don't think our batters were at fault to be honest – they were just unplayable balls.
"There would have been times in the past where in that situation we'd have been bowled out for 70 or 80 but James Foster and Foakes batted superbly."
Foakes, 20, has featured regularly for the side this season, but the innings against Kent was the first time he had passed 50 since the University match against Cambridge UCCE last month.
His 38 in the win at Glamorgan last week actually doubled his Championship run tally for the season, and another duck in the first innings may have put the youngster under pressure.
But if he felt it, it did not show as he proved unmovable to help his side to safety.
"I was really pleased for Ben Foakes because it's not been the best for him," Grayson added. "But he did well in the first innings at Glamorgan and on Saturday he showed what a bright future he's got in the game."
Foakes seems to have settled at six after a start to the season in which Essex have chopped and changed their top and middle order.
And with Owais Shah soon back in contention and new overseas signing Hamish Rutherford on his way after his New Zealand commitments conclude, Grayson welcomes the competition for places.
"There's a lot of other sides whose top and middle orders are struggling in these early-season conditions," he added. "We know that we've got to score more runs.
"We've got Shah back for the one-day games this weekend and then Hamish Rutherford coming in as well so there's more competition for the places. People know that we've got players coming back into the side very soon."
The game at New Road began yesterday and Grayson was relishing the battle between two dependable county performers.
Essex's David Masters shows no signs of letting up, but in Alan Richardson the home side have their own veteran star bowler.
He has helped his side to back-to-back ten-wicket wins, and Grayson is wary of the in-form Pears.
"They've done well," he said. "They've got back-to-back wins and now they're up towards the top of the table.
"A couple of weeks ago they were down the bottom, but they've done well.
"It will be a tough game, it'll be a good battle between Alan Richardson and David Masters, two campaigners who just seem to be getting better and better."
After that game, the Eagles are back in one-day action this weekend.
They first host Scotland on Sunday before a floodlit clash with Surrey on Monday night.
The Eagles bounced back from their opening defeat to Hampshire by overcoming Durham and Scotland, and Grayson is hoping for more success.
He added: "We put in a very professional performance when we played Scotland a couple of weeks ago and we have to do exactly the same again when we get back to Chelmsford.
"The players know exactly what's required. Surrey is never easy, it's always a competitive game against them.
"They've got a lot of experienced players so we'll have to be at our best to win on Monday night."
