Cromwell Lake THIS year s Saturday close season matches have been a real success with rarely fewer than 19 anglers present. Most of the final places are now decided although the last one or two are still not certain going into Saturday s final qualifier.

Cromwell Lake

THIS year's Saturday close season matches have been a real success with rarely fewer than 19 anglers present.

Most of the final places are now decided although the last one or two are still not certain going into Saturday's final qualifier.

Last Saturday, Andy Leathers beat the two 'venue specialists', Steve and Ricky Ashwell with a terrific catch of 50lb 2oz from peg 11. Andy caught one big carp, bream and tench plus a few small fish.

Ricky Ashwell was second with 33lb 10oz and Steve Ashwell third with 16lb 4oz. Young Elliott Turner was a good fourth and Steve Welford fifth.

RESULT: 1. Andy Leathers Browning Hotrods 50lb 2oz, 2. Ricky Ashwell St Neots 33lb 10oz, 3. Steve Ashwell St Neots 16lb 14oz, 4. Elloitt Turner St Albans 13lb 5oz, 5. Steve Welford Browning Hotrods 9lb 5oz, 6. Stan BingeVDE Stanjay M. G. 8lb 13oz

Qualifying Positions for July 1 Final: R. Ashwell 177, S. Ashwell 170, S. Binge 165, G. Gooddraw 139, S. Welford 127, M. Dickerson 126, J. Pratt 120, Elliott Turner 112, Ian Benton 110, A. Leathers 109, K. Westerby 105, Eric Turner 101, Ray Best 100, T. Allgood 97, S. Gordon 96, C. Pratt 87, K. Ellington 80. Others: D. Silsby 70, S. Webb 62, T. Lovell & M. Turner 58, Ray Myring 47.

Leeda Wednesday Series

The bigger fish did not feed on Wednesday after rain the previous evening and many anglers spent far too long looking for bites rather than catching what was in front of them. Stan was one of the first to weigh in and no one was more amazed than he when his 10lb 5oz proved enough to win the match. Steve Ashwell was second with 9lb and Nick Marriott third with 8lb.

RESULT: 1. Stan Binge VDE Stanjay M. G. 10lb 5oz, 2. Steve Ashwell St Neots 9lb, 3. Nick Marriot Brampton 8lb, 4. Ian Benton VDE Stanjay M. G. 7lb 7oz, 5. J. Pratt 5lb 9oz

The series with just two more matches seems to be a battle between Steve and his son Ricky with Graham Gooddraw also in contention.

Brampton AS

The Institute Shield was fished on Sewells Lake on Sunday and anglers drawn on the shallow pegs fared best with little apart from bleak to be caught in the deeper areas. Tony Last was the winner with 8lb 1oz from the bush peg with Nick Marriott and Chris Saunders drawn near him finishing second and third.

RESULT : 1. Tony Last 8lb 1oz, 2. Nick Marriott 7lb1oz, 3 Chris Saunders 6lb 7oz

St Ives AS

Colin Leach caught a mixture of small roach, dace, perch and chub to win Sundays match in ' D' section. Tony McGregor and Chris Geeson were second and third.

RESULT : 1. Colin Leach 4lb 1oz, 2. Tony McGregor 3lb1oz, 3. Chris Geeson 2lb 10oz.

Ramsey AS

Match secretary Keith Rayment has returned from holiday ready for the new season and made an excellent start winning Sunday's match at Staffurths Bridge with 8lb 3oz of skimmers. Victory was made all the sweeter by the fact that he was drawn next to Paul Kilby who was on one of the golden pegs. Malcolm Sansome was second with a small tench and silver fish and Andrew Kilby third with 5lb 6oz of eels.

RESULT : 1. Keith Rayment 8lb 3oz, 2. Malcolm Sansome 6lb 4oz, 3. Andrew Kilby 5lb 6oz

On the first day of the season Duncan Folkes caught 40lb of skimmers from one of the low number pegs on the Forty Foot.

Grahams Pond

The final of this year's pub and club challenge was fished on Sunday. Spitfires 'A' and 'B' teams based at the Three Horseshoes Great Stukeley contested the match and the result would have been very close had Terry Kelly fishing for the 'A' team not caught almost twenty pounds, a very long way ahead of his nearest rival.

Several competitors lost big fish but Terry who skilfully played and landed a big carp after the final whistle was the difference on the day. The presentation took place at the Three Horseshoes with both teams receiving trophies donated by sponsors Plumb - It.

RESULT : Spitfires 'A' 28lb 1oz - Spitfires 'B' 15lb 4oz

Graham and all the anglers who have taken part in this very successful series would like to thank Plumb-It for their sponsorship. Next years event is already being planned with the Golden Knight drawn as the host pub. Entries will be taken next spring but anyone interested could contact Graham now to make sure of a place. 01480 351034.

In the other matches fished this week, Bob Stobart won the evening match on Tuesday with 15lb caught mainly on the waggler while Terry Kelly was Saturday's winner with 13lb 8oz

St Neots AC

The Barbara Salmons memorial match fished at Pocket Park on Saturday saw a win for mark Rayner with 11lb 10oz from Chris young and Jean-Paul Thomas.

RESULT : 1. Mark Rayner 11lb 10oz, 2. Chris Young 7lb 9oz, 3. Jean-Paul Thomas 6lb 14oz.

Benwick AC

The first match of the season was fished at Floods Ferry with D. Pearson catching 30lb to win. Only two ounces separated second and third placed Dick Denson and Tony Ingram and Kevin gaunt was fourth.

RESULT : 1. D. Pearson 30lb, 2. Dick Denson 8lb 12oz, 3. Tony Ingram 8lb 10oz, 4. Kevin Gaunt 7lb 3oz

Lawn Farm

Last week's golden rod open match was won by Dennis holliday with 32lb 8oz from peg 28. Alan Chaffey was second and John Pratt third.

RESULT: 1. Dennis Holliday St Neots 32lb 8oz, 2. Alan Chaffey Ashwell 28lb 8oz, 3 John Pratt Gt Paxton 18lb 4oz.

Fixtures

Today (Wednesday)

Cromwell Lake Wednesday Series match 9 - draw 5 : 30pm - Fish 6 : 00 pm - dusk

Rookery Farm - OAP Match - Draw 9 : 30 - fish 10 : 30 - 3 ; 30 - Booking 01354 660566

Thursday

St Ives A. C. - Evening Match - ' C ' Section - Draw 6 : 00 pm

Saturday

Cromwell Lake Series - Draw 12 noon - Fish 1:00 - 6 : 00 pm ( two keepnets needed)

Grahams Pond - Open Match - Draw 8 : 30 am - Fish 9 : 00 am - 2 : 00 pm ( 01480 351034 )

Rookery Farm - Open Match - Draw 9 : 00 am - Fish 10 : 00 am - 4 : 00 pm

Sunday

Ramsey A. S. - Open Match - Ramsey Forty Foot - Draw Marex - 8 : 15am - Fish 10 : 00 am - 3 : 00 pm

St Neots A. C. - St Neots v Blunham - Pocket Park - Draw 7:30am - Fish 10 :00am - 3 :00pm

St Ives A. S. - Meadow Lane - Draw 7 : 00 am - Fish 8 : 00 am - 1 : 00 pm

Grahams Pond - Open Match - Draw 8 : 30 am - Fish 9 : 00 - 2 : 00pm

Tuesday

Lawn Farm - Golden Rod Open match - Draw 9 : 00 am Fish 10 : 00 am - 3 ; 00

Graham Pond - Evening Match - Winner Takes All - Draw 5 : 15 pm - Fish 6 : 00 - 9 : 00 pm

Brampton A. S. - 2nd Round Twilight Series - Sewells lake - Draw 5 : 30pm - Fish 6 : 00 pm - dusk

St Neots A. C. - Evening match - Pocket Park - Draw 5 : 30 - Fish 6 pm - dusk

Wednesday June 28

Cromwell Lake Wednesday Evening Series - match 10 - draw 5 : 30pm - fish 6 : 00pm - dusk