MARK Belsham took up the running in the second round of the Manx Golf Classic at Castletown with a flawless 68 to move two shots ahead of overnight leader David Smith.

The 48-year-old teaching professional at Kent resort Stonelees practised what he preached by keeping the ball on the straight and narrow on a day when the wind was not quite testing as in the first round but still accounted for some high scoring.

But Belsham, 48, who spent a couple of years on the Challenge Tour before settling down at Sandwich, racked up four birdies and always looked in control.

Smith, 35-year-old assistant professional at Manchester club Swinton Park, birdied the first and last holes in his 73 and rued missing six chances from inside eight feet.

"The putter wasn't hot today," he explained as he shared second place with the irrepressible David Shacklady, a past winner of the event from Mossock Hall, who filed a 70 to tag to his opening 71.

The only other player to remain under par was Neil Cheetham, from Sheffield club Lees Hall, whose 73 was three shots more than his first round.

Among a group on three over was Huddersfield's Paul Carman who won the title in 1992.

LEADING SCORES: 139 Mark Belsham (Stoneless Golf Centre) 71 68; 141 David Shacklady (Mossock Hall) 71 70, David Smith (Swinton Park) 68 73; 143 Neil Cheetham (Lees Hall) 70 73; 145 Paul Carman (Huddersfield) 74 71, Andrew Barnett (North Wales DR) 72 73, Craig Corrigan (Haigh Hall) 74 71, Simon Edwards (Clays) 73 72, Steve Parry (Astley DR) 72 73; 146 Mike Kanski (Hesketh) 74 72, Freddy Valenti (Pryors Hayes) 72 74, Colin Maroney (Harwood) 71 75.
ISLAND SCORES: 151 Michael Brooks (Castletown) 74 77; 157 Andrew Dyson (Ramsey) 80 77; 158 Andrew Patterson (Rowany) 84 74.

Full scores on pga.info (click of North Region Tournaments).

Prepared by David Birtill Golf Media, 3 Stable Mews, Withnell Fold, Chorley
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