Catriona Matthew produced a good finish to move close to the leaders, while fellow-Scot Kathryn Marshall was in better spirits as the Evian Masters reached the halfway stage in France yesterday.

Matthew, with two birdies in the last three holes, shot a 71 for three-under-par 141 and finished two strokes behind leaders Helen Alfredsson and Maria Hjorth.

Marshall, in despair after an opening 77, bounced back with a 70 and has not ruled herself out of contention. ''If I can shoot a couple of sub-70 rounds then anything is possible,'' she insisted.

Alfredsson had four birdies in a 69, while Hjorth, who spent three years at Stirling University before turning professional two years ago, eagled the long eighteenth in her 70. Second-round scores (Britain and Ireland unless stated):

139 - H Alfredsson (Swe) 70, 69; M Hjorth (Swe) 69, 70.

140 - T Johnson 70, 70; A Nicholas 70, 70; H Kobayashi (Jap) 70, 70; D Barnard 68, 72.

141 - P Meunier Lebouc (Fra) 73, 68; L Hackney 73, 68; L Maritz (SA) 72, 69; H Dobson 71, 70; C Matthew 70, 71; S Waugh (Aus) 69, 72; L Davies 68, 73; C Koch (Swe) 67, 74.

142 - C Dibnah (Aus) 73, 69; K Icher (Fra) 73, 69; F Pike (Aus) 73, 69; S Dallongeville (Fra) 68, 74; J Leary (Aus) 68, 74.

143 - A-M Knight (Aus) 69, 74.

144 - R Lautens (Swi) 75, 69; K Poppmeier (Aut) 73, 71; L Fairclough 73; 71; L Philo (US) 73; 71; K Pearce (Aus) 73, 71; S Croce (Ita) 70, 74.

Other scores included: 146 - A Alcott (US) 73, 73; M-L de Lorenzi (Fra) 73, 73; L Neumann (Swe) 70, 76. 147 - K Marshall 77, 70; C Nilsmark (Swe) 75, 72. 149 - F Dassu (It) 76, 73; C Sorenstam (Swe) 76, 73; J Forbes 74, 75. 154 - D Reid 82, 72.