Gloucestershire's seam bowlers polished Surrey off in quick time on the final day of their LV County Championship match at Bristol to create a little piece of history.

The home side required just under two sessions to claim the last seven wickets, dismissing the Londoners for 339 and complete a comprehensive victory by an innings and one run.

Not since 1975 had Surrey suffered an innings defeat at the hands of Gloucestershire and they finished well beaten by opponents who outplayed them in every department.

Gloucestershire collected maximum points to revive their flagging promotion hopes and, with two games still to play, they retained an outside chance of regaining the top-flight status they relinquished in 2005.

For Surrey it was their third loss in succession and they had the look of a side which could not wait for the season to be over.

Gloucestershire captain Alex Gidman, who registered a career-best 176 to pave the way for his team's fifth win of the campaign, said: "We either perform really well or really badly in this competition and anything can still happen between now and the end of the season.

"If we play like we did when losing to Leicestershire and Middlesex the other week, then we can forget it. But if we continue to play as we have done against Surrey, we are eminently capable of winning three on the bounce.

"It will be difficult, but promotion is still there for us and we appear to be hitting form at just the right time."

Charged with the task of scoring 340 in their second innings to make Gloucestershire bat again, Surrey were always up against it after losing three wickets in the final session on day three.

Any thoughts of a fight-back were quickly dispelled when championship debutant Arun Harinath, having stroked his way confidently to 44, edged a catch behind off Steve Kirby in only the fourth over of the day to reduce the visitors to 143 for four.

Once again, Hamish Marshall proved Gloucestershire's secret weapon, his gentle seam-up bringing the finish line into view.

Having accounted for Jon Batty on the third day, the New Zealander struck a double blow to remove nightwatchman Tim Linley and Stuart Meaker in the space of four overs from the Ashley Down Road end.

Both fell in identical fashion, playing across the line and pinned lbw by a swinging ball.

Usman Afzaal surrendered in equally lame fashion, aiming a loose drive to Gidman at extra cover to give Anthony Ireland his second success of the innings.

At 177 for seven, Surrey were facing the unpalatable prospect of defeat before lunch, only for Chris Schofield and Alex Tudor to restore some pride in an adhesive eighth-wicket stand of 72.

Gloucestershire's relief was palpable when, with dark clouds gathering overhead, Tudor attempted to slog-sweep off spinner Chris Taylor and holed out to deep backward square leg for 33 shortly after lunch.

Selected as a batsman in the absence of the injured Mark Ramprakash, former England leg-spinner Schofield showed the top order how it should be done, becoming the first Surrey player to post fifty in the match and sharing in a stand of 83 for the ninth wicket with Rangana Herath.

He had carved 71 runs from 122 balls when he was finally undone, edging Marshall to first slip.

Kirby then wrapped the innings up, bowling last man Jade Dernbach to prevent his side having to bat a second time.