FIFTEEN-year old Danny Bennett shattered the match-record at Langwith Lakes on Saturday when he topped the 30-pegger with a staggering

109lb 13oz.

Adding over 8lb to the old record best set just a month ago the Essential Baits backed prodigy used pellet at 13 metres from peg 19 for carp to 4lb.

Doing the ton, but still coming second, was unlucky Dave Geldart (Boston Spa) who worked with paste at ten metres from peg 4 for his all carp net of a level 100lb.

Bennett will have another chance to assert his mastery of the Huntington venue in a few weeks when Nestl Rowntree sponsor am Inner-City challenge between junior anglers from York, Leeds and Bradford. The event will feature 20 anglers from each area who must be under 16 on July 23.

Poppleton Ponds was in great form this week with the bagging beginning on the Friday open on Railway Lake when Gerald Chalk won with a straight 59lb of carp to 4lb on pellet at 13 metres from peg two.

Close behind was Brian Pallister with 58lb 12. Best of the rest were Tony Wilson with a level

38-0-0 and Roy Presley 35-8-0.

Ian Riley found some quality carp on Sunday on the House Lake netting fish to 12lb in his winning bag of 68lb.

Other leading contenders were; Peter Cressey 42-12-0; Scott Dobson 36-0-0 and Dave

Buaja 39-4-0

The regulars at the Oaks decided to chip in an extra £20 each to set

up a big money contest on Saturday.

Dave Topham (Waterline Wibsey), on peg eight, won a peg-to-peg battle with Paul Taylor (Garbolino Elton) and pocket £1,000 in prize money.

Fishing pellet over the same he took 73lb 8oz of fish to 3lb from the island margins. Taylor, on peg seven, had to content himself with second place for his 58lb 6oz, worth £500.

The following day, Topham drew the same peg but this time his 68lb 15oz was only good enough

for third place. His weekend haul of six Matchman of the Year points and £1,200 is still not a bad ten hours work.

Heworth-based Dean Smith is living up to pre-season predictions as he continued to blaze a trail towards the top of the leaderboard.

The Garbolino Elton team member blitzed the opposition in the 66-strong field at Woodlands on Saturday.

Drawn on Partridge 35 he fished meat shallow at 13 metres. Carp to 6lb responded for a winning

net of 94lb 1oz that almost doubled the second weight of John Chapman (Garbolino Elton) who also fished meat at Skylark 32 for an all carp 58-9-0.

There will be no angling column this Friday.

Weekend Bookings

Saturday, July 9 - Acaster. Star AC, Howsham Bridge. GPO AC, Laybourne Lakes (Marley, pegs 35 to 53): Local A, Park View Lake: York CIU Saturday League.

Sunday, July 10 - Donkey Woods: Burton Stone Lane WMC AC, Fulford/Palace Ings: White Rose AC,

Poppleton: Acomb WMC AC, Claxton Pond: Cygnet AC, Laybourne Lakes (Marley, all pegs): YDA of A Committee

Match, Laybourne Lakes (Browns): Sea Horse AC, Park View Lake: New Earswick AC.

Updated: 10:36 Wednesday, July 06, 2005