Great Britain and Ireland will take a one-point lead into the final day of the Seve Trophy after winning Saturday afternoon's foursomes 2.5-1.5. After Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley secured a half, Paul Casey and David Howell beat Miguel Angel Jimenez and Emanuele Canonica 2 & 1.
Bradley Dredge and Ian Poulter lost the third match by one hole.
But Nick Dougherty and Colin Montgomerie won the final match by the same score to make it 9.5-8.5 overall.
Dougherty was the hero, holing a 30-foot birdie putt on the short 17th and then keeping his nerve on the last to secure victory.
Poulter was again involved in controversy following criticism from Montgomerie on the first day. This time Poulter laid down his putter with the head in the hole to indicate the length of the putt after being asked to putt out on the 16th.
At the 17th he then indicated to partner Bradley Dredge not to offer any concession when both teams were barely two feet from the cup.
At the last Fasth was asked to putt from 10 feet when the Swedes had two putts for victory.
European team captain Jose Maria Olazabal chose not to criticise Poulter.
"I don't want to say anything that can create a bad atmosphere," he said.
"He's a young kid and he probably won't do that when he is 35 or 40 years old.
"Ian felt that way and that's it. It's up to him to do what he wants to do."
Earlier Great Britain and Ireland won the greensomes 3-1 to level the scores at 7-7.
Irish pairing Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley eased past Thomas Levet and Jose Maria Olazabal 3&2.
And Paul Casey and David Howell joined them in clubhouse with a two-hole win over Niclas Fasth and Peter Hanson.
Stephen Dodd and Graeme McDowell halved with Miguel Angel Jimenez and Emanuele Canonica, while Ian Poulter and Nick Dougherty halved with Thomas Bjorn and Henrik Stenson.
Collated results on the third day of the Seve Trophy: (Gbr & Irl names first):
Foursomes:
Padraig Harrington & Paul McGinley halved with Thomas Levet (Fra) & Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra)
Paul Casey & David Howell bt Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) & Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 2 & 1
Bradley Dredge & Ian Poulter lost to Niclas Fasth (Swe) & Henrik Stenson (Swe) 1 hole
Nick Dougherty & Colin Montgomerie bt Thomas Bjorn (Den) & Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 1 hole
Greensomes:
Paul McGinley & Padraig Harrington bt Thomas Levet (Fra) & Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa) 3 & 2
David Howell & Paul Casey bt Niclas Fasth (Swe) & Peter Hanson (Swe) 2 holes
Stephen Dodd & Graeme McDowell halved with Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) & Emanuele Canonica (Ita)
Ian Poulter & Nick Dougherty halved with Thomas Bjorn (Den) & Henrik Stenson (Swe)
MMIX
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I don't want to say anything that can create a bad atmosphere
