Andrew Johnston six strokes off the pace at Trophee Hassan II

Andrew Johnston’s hopes of back-to-back victories suffered a setback with a second-round 74 at the Trophee Hassan II in Morocco.

The 27-year-old, who claimed his first European Tour title last month at the Open de Espana, mixed two birdies with four bogeys at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam to slip six strokes adrift of midway pacesetter Francesco Laporta.

Resuming two strokes back and looking to build on an encouraging opening-round 70, Johnston lost ground by carding three blemishes in a five-hole stretch from the third.

After kicking off the back nine with a birdie, Johnston bounced back from a dropped shot at the 11th to post a four at the par-five next to get back level par for the day, but was unable to make any further inroads along the closing stretch.

Johnston is one of 10 players sitting tied-25th, as world No 787 Laporta fired six gains on his way to a two-under 70 to take a narrow one-shot lead into the weekend.

"I haven't been in this position going into the weekend at a European Tour event before, so I'm just going to try to enjoy it and do my best," Laporta said. 

"I played very well from the start. Unfortunately I gave the shots back with the double on 14 but other than that, I hit the ball very well again."

Jeunghun Wang's impressive 68 parachuted the Korean in a tie for second alongside Jason Scrivener and Borja Virto Astudillo, with one-time leader Zander Lompard a further stroke back. 

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Lombard had held a two-shot advantage with three holes to play on the Red Course, only to send his tee shot into trees at the seventh and run up a three-putt double-bogey at the next. 

Peter Lawrie is also two shots off the pace following a three-under 69, while top seed Dean Burmester is one over for the week after posting three bogeys from the turn. 

Former champion Rhys Davies missed the cut after closing his four-over 76 with back-to-back double-bogeys, with Marcus Kinhult also suffering an early exit when he bogeyed four of his final six holes. 

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