As usual the first weekend of the school holidays heralded a quiet weekend for the area's match anglers with few major events scheduled.

The biggest turnouts were up at the ever-consistent Woodlands at Carlton Minniott.

It was a wonder that the water level didn't drop several feet on Saturday as the 71 entrants on Skylark and Partridge hauled out over a ton and a half of prime North Yorkshire muscle.

It was a tight frame with less than 10lb separating the top 20 anglers apart from John Chapman (Keenest NW), who made two wins in as many weeks.

After a slow start on Skylark peg 20 the fish moved over his liquidised meat and he went on to haul out 64lb 8oz of carp and tench to 8lb.

Mal Bailey (Castleford) took second from peg eight on Partridge where he fished paste over pellets at five and six metres for his all carp 47lb 2oz.

Others: Peter Close (Darlington Angling Centre) 45-7-0; Ian Bowman (Maver Barnsley) 44-14-0; Paul McBrinn (Normark) 43-3-0; Rob Morley (Hallcroft) 43-1-0.

The Wednesday event fished on the old lakes drew 46 and went to golf professional Martin Jackson (Wans-beck), who won his first-ever match.

Drawn on Swallow peg three he used paste and meat at 11 metres to net 40lb 10oz of carp from the unfancied peg.

Others: Ray Ross (Riccall AC) 39-13-0; Neil Lloyd (Grove Park) 39-11-0; Dave Harris (Cleveland Angling Centre) 37-4-0.

It was that corner peg 62 that dominated another all star cast of 59 on Maple Lake at the Oaks.

The peg is now so dominant that there are moves afoot to cordon it off or avoid pegging adjacent swims.

Steve Crossley (Tricast Calder) was the lucky angler who made no mistake of the plum draw netting 52lb 9oz of carp to 4lb to finish well clear. The same tactics paid again with long pole and corn fished tight into the corner finding better carp.

Mark Calvert (Newman Scotts) was the best of the rest. Alternating worm at eight and 13 metres from peg 22, he netted a level 33lb of small carp.

Andy Hampson (Normark) took 29lb of carp on floating bread from peg 39 which has now been banned!

Others: Stuart Burdekin (Daiwa Trentmen) 28-1-0; Damien Bracken (Trevs of Wilmslow) 22-7-0; Mark Lucas (Ted Carter Preston) 21-14-0.

The fourth round of the competitive North Central League was switched from the Wharfe at Wetherby to the Aire and Calder Canal around Pollington due to foot and mouth restrictions.

On a tough day in which many of the 60 entry struggled, Claro Yorkshire Tea edged ahead of arch-rivals Knaresbo-rough, who bombed out big style.

Not surprisingly it was the end peg that provided the winner with Martin Dodsworth (Claro Yorkshire Tea) leading from the front peg 271 below Beavers Bridge.

Pole and pinkie at seven metres soon had the roach queuing up and he romped home with 7lb 4oz.

The unconventional approach paid off for Keith Lamb (Ripon), who legered lobworm to the far bank next to Beavers Bridge where he found a shoal of perch in residence. Fish to a pound made up his 5lb 3oz.

Others: Nick Sutton (Wetherby) 4-2-8; Terry Dingan (Boroughbridge) 3-8-0; Mark Thompson (Thirsk) 3-2-0; John Brain (Claro Yorkshire Tea) 3-0-0.

Teams: Boroughbridge 74; Wetherby 72; Claro Yorkshire Tea 71; Thirsk 65; Knaresborough 56; Ripon 54.

League: Claro Yorkshire Tea 220; Knaresborough 216; Ripon 196; Thirsk 180; Boroughbridge 171; Wetherby 153.

Updated: 12:38 Wednesday, July 25, 2001