STEVE Richardson produced one of his best rounds of a turbulent season to beat the halfway cut in the Formby Hall Challenge yesterday.

As his Hayling Island neighbour Matt Blackey leapt up into fourth place, former Ryder Cup man Richardson "came back from the dead" with a fighting three-under par 69. It lifted him from three over to level par and it catapluted him 40 places up the field into a tie for 40th place.

It was a momentous day for the three-times European Tour winner who has't made a cut in European competition this season.

But it could have been even better for Richard-son (left), who got himself into red figures at one under until he suffered his second bogey of the day at the 17th.

It was the only blemish of a glorious comeback which had seen him birdie the first, seventh, tenth, 14th and 15th holes.

Richardson, who lost his European Tour card at the end of last season, began a long-awaited recovery two weeks ago when he competed in the Southern PGA Championship and took second place.

On his way to the runners-up slot Richardson shot a 64 then came in with a closing round of 67 despite a triple bogey at the tenth at Cowdray Park which effectively cost him victory.

Blackey who will virtually secure his own European card for next season with a top two finish here, stayed on target with a three-under-par 69.

He showed his fighting qualities after a ragged start in which he bogied the fifth, birdied the sixth then gave the shot straight back again at the seventh.

But that was the end of the madness. The 30-year-old ex-Hampshire amateur champion picked up more shots at the sixth, tenth, 11th and 13th holes to move into the top ten. Then he picked up birdie number six at the finishing hole to finish at five under par - two shots off the lead.

On the man European Tour, Richard Bland hoisted his earning to over £190,000 with sixth place in the BMW International Open last week - but there will be no pay day this week.

The Stoneham tournament professional missed the cut by three shots in the Omega Masters in Switzerland with two rounds of 74 leaving him at four over - three off the projected cut mark.

He was five over with three to play but made one last bid to make the cut woth birdies at the seventh and eighth. Bland went for broke at the par five last but finished up with six and caught an early plane home to Marchwood.

Sweden's Robert Karlsson was setting a hot pace at 11under.