Joe Clarke and Lyndon James resisted Kent’s charge by batting through the evening session on day three at Canterbury, Nottinghamshire finishing the day four runs behind with five wickets in hand having been asked to follow-on.
The pair came together with the Green and Golds trailing by 103 - but shared a partnership worth 99 in 39 overs to keep Notts alive going into the fourth day.
That possibility had looked at risk when Notts slumped to 78/5 having begun their second innings 181 runs in arrears; a deficit reduced by the 59 runs added by Brett Hutton, Dane Patterson and Asitha Fernando for the visitors’ final two first innings wickets.
But Clarke - who has now surpassed his previous best return in a County Championship season for Nottinghamshire - added his second half century of the game, and James 38, the pair facing 263 deliveries between them.
Earlier, Paterson and Hutton saw off the opening 12 overs - all of which were bowled by Chahal and Nijjar, despite the new ball being available after four - with little trouble, albeit adding only 10 runs to their overnight score of 219.
When the former departed with a skied drive to mid-on, Fernando and Hutton farmed the spin of Nijjar and seam of Adam Gilchrist respectively, adding another 36 to take Notts to a batting point.
With the follow-on enforced, Hameed was bowled through the gate by Michael Hogan, before first-inning top scorer Steven Mullaney and Ben Slater rebuilt.
Their partnership took Nottinghamshire within 118 of Kent, before both departed in the same Joey Evison over, the captain picking out deep-square leg and Slater slapping to mid-on.
Matthew Montgomery and Tom Moores then departed in the same Hogan over with 17 added, to leave the Green and Golds on a precipice at 87/6 at tea.
But Clarke and James combined for a stoic stand, the game taken to a final day for which inclement weather is forecast.