Coltart stays in touch with leaders Bjorn and Del Moral

THOMAS Bjorn and Carlos Del Moral both shot rounds of 65 to share a two-shot lead at the top of the Estoril Open leaderboard at the end of the second day.

Andrew Coltart followed up his opening round of 68 by shooting a five under 67 to sit just three shots off the pace.

Bjorn hit eight birdies to race to 13 under with a hole to play, but the Dane then bogeyed the par five last to join Del Moral on 12 under. Overnight leaders Damien McGrane of Ireland and England's Luke Goddard had rounds of 70 and 73 respectively to slide down the rankings.

McGrane now finds himself in a share of third with the English trio of Steve Webster, Robert Rock and Robert Coles.

Webster's last European Tour title came at the 2007 Portugal Masters and the 35-year-old turned in 34 after starting at the tenth before registering a hat-trick of birdies from the first.

McGrane had looked on course to set the clubhouse target for the second day running as he advanced to 11 under for the week with six to play. But the former Volvo China Open winner came unstuck at the 434-yard fourth when his wayward approach led him to shooting a double bogey six before a birdie at the ninth, his last, repaired some of the damage.

Behind Coltart, the next best Scots were Scott Drummond and Andrew McArthur who are tied for 28th on an overall score of four under.

Alastair Forsyth is one shot behind them with Steven O'Hara two under overall. Marc Warren missed the cut on even par.