Essex duo Andrew Pestell and Jason Levermore shot a nine-under-par 63 to share the joint lead heading into the final day of the SkyCaddie PGA Fourball Championship, supported by Sunderland.
The pair were joint leaders after an opening 62 and they almost matched that effort to go to 19 under for the £30,000 tournament with 18 holes to play tomorrow at Fulford Golf Club in York.
They posted the clubhouse lead only to be caught by Andrew Sherborne and David Hutton, from the west of England.
Last year Pestell, from Chelmsford Golf Club, and Levermore, from Clacton, finished just outside the top 10 and so are determined to make amends this time around.
But they struggled to get going today and were only one under through six holes before four birdies in five holes from the seventh sparked them into life.
Further shots were picked up at the 15th and 16th before Pestell hit driver-three iron to 15 at the 480-yard par-five last for eagle to finish the round in style.
"It didn't go to plan for the first nine. We were two under through three then made our first bogey, I think, as fourball better ball partners," said the Chelmsford professional.
"We were a bit frustrated at that point but we stayed patient. I was getting a bit annoyed when I saw our names dropping down the leaderboard.
"I said to Jason 'We have to back up there somewhere'. But we knew it would come together.
"We generally don't make the same mistakes on the same hole but on the front nine we did and it's the first time we have struggled so it was great to sort it out.
"Jason has been struggling a bit but even when he struggles he knocks in four or five birdies."
The pair have a well-established playing partnership and Pestell said he was pleased it was his turn to take the lead having not been on the top of his game at the final 12 months ago.
"Last year it was the other way around, I was messing up and he was holding me together so it was about time I helped him out," he added.
"But we are definitely where we want to be, up there. You can't defend a lead unless you are 10 ahead of something stupid like that so we'll keep doing what we're doing and see how low we can go.
"If Jason can get it going tomorrow and I can keep doing what I've been doing we can go low."