Stephen East battles worst of Logan Trophy weather to lie fifth

Durham’s Richard Aisbitt will take a three-shot lead into the final round in the hunt for the Logan Trophy at Northumberland after a day of testing weather conditions.

He scored one-over 73, for a total of four under, on a day when only two players from a field of 130 managed to beat par.

Moortown player East shaved one shot off his opening 74 although he may have been expecting more when he was two under through six.

East – who has won this title three times – is in fifth place having played in the worst of the wet weather.

After a three-putt bogey on the ninth he says he “almost missed everything I looked at on the back nine, even from three to four feet.”

His opening 74 was compiled in Friday’s winds. “When I saw the draw I thought it was good but we’ve had the worst of both days,” he said. “But that’s just the way it goes.”

Lindrick’s Jamie Shepherd shot a one-under-par 71 to be one back of East.

He was level par going out and despite a second bogey of the day at 11, he birdied 12 and 15 for his 148 (77 71) aggregate.

Fulford’s Jamie Miller (73 77) was out in 40 and home in 37 with three birdies on his card.

Bradley Park’s Edward Battye (75 77) was only one over going out, but dropped four shots on his last six holes.

Martin Brown (Pike Hills) mirrored Battye’s outward nine only to come back in seven over to total 155 (75 80).

Hornsea’s Leigh Gawley produced a second consecutive 79. He was out in 41 despite a birdie at the ninth.

Eaglescliffe’s Dave Lupton had been Yorkshire Union’s top player starting the day, but after a 72 slumped to an 87.

Out in 43 to a par of 37 he was back in 44 to a par of 35 with an eight at the 513-yard par-5 15th doing much of the damage.

Hallamshire’s Barry Downing (77 82) was out in 41 for the second day running and came back in the same score.

Garforth’s Craig Bradley (80 79) had eight bogeys and one birdie, at the 148-yard par-3 14th, in his second round.

Andy Crawford, also from Hallamshire, dropped four shots over his opening three holes and added a 79 to his 83.

Fulford’s Rick Hewitt (77 85) birdied the 516-yard par-5 ninth, which he had eagled in round one, but that was the only bright spot with the quadruple bogey 8 at the 440-yard 16th the undoubted dark side.

Hornsea’s Rees Brown (80 82) came home in 42 with five shots being scattered at 15 and 16.

Hewitt’s clubmate Andy Evans (82 85) birdied the third after dropping a shot at the second, but seven bogeys and three double bogeys followed.

Hallowes’ Geoff Thorpe (86 85) could only find five pars during the day.

Sheffield Union team captain Richard Hodgkinson suffered an unfortunate disqualification when only two over after 16 holes having amassed four birdies.

He got to the 17th fairway and discovered he had played the wrong ball on the 16th.