Alejandro Canizares will take a six-shot lead into the final round of the Trophee Hassan II at Golf du Palais Royal in Agadir, Morocco.

The 31-year-old Spaniard began play on Saturday with a one-stroke advantage and went from strength to strength as the third round progressed, knocking off a 69 in the process.

Canizares had a quiet front nine matching a bogey at the fourth with a birdie at the next to be out in level par, but slip-ups from Seve Benson allowed him to go eight clear at one stage.

However, the Englishman made a late rally aided by a hat-trick of birdies from the 15th to eventually reduce the deficit to six strokes.

"It was tough today, especially on the front nine the pins were difficult to get close to and some even difficult to two-putt," Sky Sports News quotes Canizares as saying. "It's a good round, I kept it going.

"I was a little not so sharp off the tee today, my misses were right quite a bit so I have something to work on but overall I'm happy to shoot a round in the 60s and hopefully tomorrow I will keep it going.

"My idea was to get to 20 under, that was my focus. I was trying to look forward all the time not behind me. It was a pity I started missing some shots right at the end and I could not take advantage of the par fives on the back nine."

Robert-Jan Derksen is currently third on the leaderboard after a bogey-free 67, one shot behind second-placed Benson.