WELSHMAN Rhys Davies continues to lead the way with Joost Luiten at the Trophee Hassan II but the North-East has three golfers still in contention for a top ten finish in Morocco tomorrow.

Barnard Castle's Rob Dinwiddie sits four shots off the leading trio, consisting of Davies, Holland's Joost Luiten and Spaniard Alvaro Velasco.

Dinwiddie followed up Thursday's 70 with a 71 yesterday to head into the weekend in tied 22nd place.

North Yorkshireman Simon Dyson is a shot behind Dinwiddie, while Graeme Storm and Kenneth Ferrie head into the weekend on level par.

But there was disaster on day two for Harrogate's John Parry. He missed the cut after following up his opening round 72 with a 78 that left him on six over for the tournament.

Davies carded a second round of 70 to share the halfway lead as he looks to defend the title he claimed last year.

High winds affected performances in Agadir, where the field have been split over the Golf De L'Ocean and Golf Du Palais Royal courses in a pro-am format for the first two days.

Welshman Davies said: ‘‘I'm not feeling any pressure, despite being defending champion. It's a different golf course and I just feel very relaxed. I'm enjoying the pro-am format and I had a great partner today, Mazamischi Ito. He has a great future ahead of him in golf.

‘‘I've been working hard on my swing with my coach, trying to match up my arm swing with my body swing, and it's getting there. The hard work is starting to come off. It's quite hard to do it in this wind though.''

Luiten was inconsistent with a round that included two double bogeys and a bogey on the front nine.

However, the Dutchman also produced seven birdies for a 69 to join Davies on six under.

‘‘I was good on the back nine with four birdies so that kept me going,'' he said. ‘‘It was tough today, really tough, especially on the front nine. The holes coming into the wind are very tricky.

‘‘On the back nine the wind was less but there are some really tricky pin positions, so overall it was a pretty hard day and you needed to be very straight off the tee. I'm pleased with the score I've come away with.''

Mikko Ilonen carded eight birdies in a flawless 64 to move into a nine-way tie for third.

The group included Darren Clarke, who had another consistent round including four birdies and one bogey for a 69, and English pair David Horsey (71) and Robert Rock (68).