SCOTT CRICHTON'S LEAD CUT TO THREE SHOTS IN NE DISTRICT OPEN

Aberdour's Scott Crichton, leader by six strokes overnight at the halfway stage of the North-east District Open 72-hole stroke-play championship, saw his lead cut to three shots over the third round at Inchmarlo Golf Club, Banchory today.
Crichton shot a three-over-par 73 - after Saturday scores of 68 and 66 - and, with a 54-hole tally of 207, had three players closing the gap on 210: Conor O'Neil (Pollok), and a Fraserburgh pair, Justin Duff (69) and Jordan Findlay (69).

THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Par 210 (3x70) CSS 71 72 tbc
207 Scott Crichton (Aberdour) 68 66 73.
210 Conor O'Neil (Pollok) 73 70 67, Justin Duff (Fraserburgh) 75 67 68, Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) 72 69 69.
211 Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon) 67 76 78, Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire) 71 70 70, Barrie Edmond (Bon Accord) 67 73 71.
213 Nick MacAndrew (Cullen) 73 71 69.
214 Bryan Innes (Murcar Links) 73 72 69.
215 Clark Brechin (Portlethen) 73 68 74.
216 Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 73 73 70, Fraser Moore (Glenbervie) 73 72 71, Alan Sutherland (Ladybank) 75 67 74.
217 Stephen Spiers (Portpatrick Dunskey) 71 74 72.
218 John Duff (Newmachar) 75 73 70, Scott Robertson (Hazlehead) 69 77 72.
219 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 78 71 70, Anthony Bews (Murcar Links) 76 71 72, Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire Co) 72 74 73, Kenny Gunnyeon (Murcar Links) 69 77 73, Paul Simpson (Aboyne) 74 70 75, Angus Carrick (Douglas Park) 72 72 75.
220 Michael Gray (Lanark) 72 77 71, Donald MacAndrew (Royal Aberdeen) 75 17 74, John Godward (McDonald Ellon) 71 74 75.
221 Iain Wilson (Dalmahoy Hotel) 75 75 71, Scott Ritchie (New Zealand) 73 75 73, Peter Latimer (St Andrews) 75 71 75.
222 Ben Murray (Portlethen) 72 77 73.
223 Chris Robb (Inchmarlo) 78 73 72, Ritchie Manson (Kemnay) 73 73 77, Alistair Rogers (Monifieth) 74 73 76.
224 Ross Anderson (Stonehaven) 72 76 76.
225 Lewis Mutch (Duff House Royal) 71 75 79.
226 Grant Carnie (Newburgh on Ythan) 72 75 79.
227 Andrew Hepburn (Fraserburgh) 75 75 77.
229 Jamie Reid (Cruden Bay) 81 70 78.
230 David Mitchell (Leven Thistle) 78 73 79.
231 Scott Murray (Stonehaven) 73 77 81.

MISSED THE CUT
152 Euan Kennedy (Newmachar) 74 78,
153 Iain Galbraith (Murcar Links) 77 76.
154 Andrew Carrell (Peterculter) 78 76.
155 John Mitchell (Fraserburgh) 71 84.
156 Ryan Donaldson (Portlethen) 80 76, Fraser O'Connor (Inchmarlo) 79 77, Mark McLean (Fraserburgh) 75 81, Matthew Greig (Bon Accord) 71 85.
157 Andy Campbell (Murcar Links) 87 76.
158 Stephen Cook (Portlethen) 78 80, Ryan McKinnon (Peterculter) 76 82.
159 Grant Joss (Royal Aberdeen) 79 80, Garry Duncan (Carnoustie) 78 81.
161 Gary Esson (Portlethen) 84 77, Greg Dunsmore (Saline) 84 77.
163 Barry Mitchell (Murcar Links) 83 80.
164 Cameron Johnstone (Northern) 78 86.
169 Andrew Hutchison (Kinross) 86 83.
174 James Watt (Meldrum House) 88 86.
175 Sean Hassard (Deeside) 91 84.
NRs James Hendrick (Pollok) 76 NR, Stuart McIntosh (Ballater) 79 NR, Richard Barr (Newmachar) 81 NR.