Resuming on 55-2, Middlesex’s aim was to keep their wickets intact and delay Durham’s promotion party for a few days at least.
However, that plan was dealt a blow almost immediately when Nathan Fernandes after the Middlesex man edged Aldridge to third slip.
Will Rhodes came into the attack for Durham and picked up the scalp of Middlesex captain Max Holden, caught at first slip, and nearly had their fifth wicket when Carse found the edge of Geddes’ bat, but Aldridge could not cling on to a regulation chance.
Higgins picked up two boundaries off Rhodes to relieve some of the pressure on the visitors and Geddes then joined in with a lovely shot down the ground off the bowling of Aldridge.
Their partnership passed 50, but Higginsn was dismissed soon after as he slapped a Parkinson delivery straight to backward point.
Geddes continued his good morning with the bat as he passed 50 for the third time this season, but he then holed out to Mayank Agarwal who took an excellent catch running in from the long-on boundary.
Parkinson bowled Zafar Gohar after lunch with a beauty as Durham closed in on victory and Carse then got Seb Morgan lbw, but Duke and Helm combined to stem the flow of wickets.
Helm was finally lbw for a valiant 32 but Ben McKinney dropped Duke on 95 after the Middlesex man went for a big shot and he reached three figures for the first time in his career from the next ball.
Carse then took the decisive wicket one ball later as he got Naavya Sharma caught behind.
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