DEFENDING champion Paul Curry is still in contention to retain his title at the PGA EuroPro Tour event at Stoke by Nayland.Curry, a member of the Colne Valley Golf Club, won the competition in 2005 and 2006 and still has an outside chance of completing his hat-trick.

DEFENDING champion Paul Curry is still in contention to retain his title at the PGA EuroPro Tour event at Stoke by Nayland.

Curry, a member of the Colne Valley Golf Club, won the competition in 2005 and 2006 and still has an outside chance of completing his hat-trick.

He fired an opening day 72 and followed that up with a 73 yesterday. Curry will start the last day on one-over, six shots behind Irish leader Michael McDermott.

Clacton golfer Jason Levermore will join Curry in the final round after rounds of 71 and 74 left him in equal 19th position.

Chelmsford's Lloyd Kennedy just did enough to scrape into the final day of this event by one shot, despite a second round 78.

Among those making an early exit from the competition was Bury St Edmunds-based Lawrence Dodd, a former England amateur international and Suffolk county player.

He registered two double bogeys in his second round - at the fourth and 10th - and this proved costly as he missed the cut by one shot.

Craig Housden, a member of the Channels club in Little Waltham, also failed to qualify after a disappointing 80 on Wednesday. He could only manage a 76 yesterday.

Justin Brown, of Gosfield Lake, playing under the Richard Wheeler Golf Academy, missed out with 77-76. Scores:

139: M McDermott (Stagstown). 141: D Mooney (Nevada Bobs, Belfast), W Bladon (Marriott Forest of Arden), D Ray (Glamorgan), F McGuirk (Princes). 142: C Nicoll (Prestwick), J Doherty (Picture Financial), M Searle (Woodbury Park), M Le Mesurier (unattached), N Treacher (unattached), M Cort (unattached). Other scores included: 145: P Curry (Colne Valley), J Levermore (Clacton). 148: S Whiffin (Enfield), D Brooks (Sports Academy), L Kennedy (Chelmsford), R Claydon (Gog Magog). Among those who missed the cut: 149: L Dodd (Thetford). 152: O Pearl (Sports Academy). 153: P Ring (The Warren), J Brown (Richard Wheeler Golf Academy), W Boniface (Sports Academy). 156: C Housden (Channels). 157: J Winer (Sports Academy). 158: D Chapman (Weston Park).