Yorkshire golf: Nick Marsh and Joe Dean inside top 10 at Mottram Hall in chase for EuroPro Tour card
Huddersfield GC's Marsh lies second at the halfway stage of the 36-hole event after an opening three-under-par 69 at the Cheshire club.
Dean (Hillsborough GC) is tied eighth after a level-par 72.
Eleven other White Rose representatives sit within the top 34 and ties, with 35 players set to advance to next week's Final Stage at Frilford Heath, in Oxfordshire.
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Hide AdMarsh looked to be heading for a really low score after reaching the turn in 32 with four birdies and no dropped shots.
However, after dipping to five under with a further birdie at the 10th he suffered bogeys at holes 11, 13 and 15.
Birdies at 16 and 18 sandwiched his fourth inward bogey at the 17th.
Dean was out in level par, bogeys at six and seven negated by birdies at eight and nine.
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Hide AdHe endured a double bogey six at the 12th, but restored parity with birdies at the 15th and his final hole of the day.
Mottram Hall is one of six First Stage qualifying venues, and the successful players from each will progress to play the Final Stage.
The field will play one round on each of the Red and Blue Courses next Wednesday and Thursday before a cut to the leading 80 players and ties for a final round on the Blue Course on Friday.
Players are competing to earn the highest possible category on the 2016 HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour. All those progressing to Final Stage will earn at least a category 14, with golfers making the Final Stage cut earning a minimum category 10 and the top 30 earning category 3.