As far as Simon Wakefield is concerned two things usually happen on Saturdays - Port Vale lose and he struggles.

But he hopes this weekend can be different on both counts after a four-under-par 69 at Gleneagles today gave him another chance to win his first European Tour title.

The 34-year-old from Staffordshire goes into the third round of the Johnnie Walker Championship on nine under par and joint leader with France's Thomas Levet. They are one ahead of Scot Marc Warren.

Two shots further back is Hartlepool's Graeme Storm who has shot back to back rounds of 70 to put himself in a great position to challenge over the weekend.

''I feel more comfortable on Thursday and Friday,'' said Wakefield, after his six-birdie display in the windy conditions.

''For some reason Saturday is always the day that I don't enjoy. It's moving day, but I tend to move the other way.

''It's not that I dislike them - I think it's the hardest day. You've made the cut and you suddenly relax and don't try too hard.''

Wakefield is playing his 181st Tour event and the closest he has come to winning was finishing runner-up to Ernie Els in the Asian Open in 2005. He was also third in the Irish Open this May and has won on the South African circuit.

Despite his aversion to Saturdays, the nephew of former England wicketkeeper Bob Taylor is poised to take his earnings in Europe through the £1million barrier and is looking to do it in grand style by grabbing the £233,330 first prize.

Levet, back playing well this season after seven months fearing for his future because of vertigo, birdied the last to join Wakefield with a 68.

The 38-year-old Parisien's last victory was the 2004 Scottish Open at Loch Lomond. He earned a Ryder Cup debut on the back of that, but after his sickness lay-off his goal on his return in May was a simple one.

''It was to have a job for next year somewhere,'' he said. ''But now it's to get back in the Ryder Cup next year. I'm not far from my 2004 form.''

Finished by lunchtime, Wakefield expected late starter Warren to finish the day two or three strokes ahead of him. But it never happened.

Leader by one after an opening 65, the 26-year-old resumed with two birdies just as Wakefield did, but managed to add only a level-par 72. He bogeyed the par-five last.

''It was a tougher day than yesterday. There was more wind and the greens were not as good,'' commented Warren.

None of the four members of last year's Ryder Cup side in the field is among the two leaders' nearest challengers.

Defending champion Paul Casey is the highest-placed of the quartet on four under and did well to get to that mark.

Down on level par after eight holes Casey, twice a winner on the course, was in danger of missing the cut. But he eagled the 564-yard ninth and birdied two more of the par fives coming home.

Playing partners Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood both finished three under, but had starkly different rounds. Westwood got himself back into the hunt with a 69, but Montgomerie could do no better than 74.

There were three birdie twos on the Scot's card, but also three sixes - two of them bogeys and the other a double bogey on the 461-yard fifth. He was lucky to avoid an even higher score on the ninth after a wild drive, but after a long search the ball was found and he escaped with a par.

Darren Clarke was one further back following a 71, having criticised the lay-out on which the 2014 Ryder Cup will be played.

Colin Montgomerie, meanwhile, hit back at Darren Clarke's criticisms of the Centenary Course at Gleneagles, the venue for the 2014 Ryder Cup.

''People are entitled to their opinion and that's his. But my opinion is different,'' said Montgomerie, who as well as playing in the Johnnie Walker Championship on the course this week is also the tournament chairman and may well be captain in six years' time.

Clarke had said after his opening round that he considered it ''unbelievable'' for Europe's Ryder Cup Committee to have chosen the lay-out.

''There's only been one Ryder Cup in Scotland (in 1973 at Muirfield) and then they choose a course like this one,'' commented the Ulsterman.

''There are even two better ones right here at Gleneagles already - it's beyond my comprehension.''

''It will be a fantastic venue,'' countered Montgomerie. ''We have another seven years here and the course is getting better every year.

"As a venue and a resort there are very few better."