TONY Hewson won a terrific duel with his Armley Angling teammate in the opening round of the Spring Series of matches at Carpvale.

Fishing from peg 21 and using feeder and corn he netted only five fish but they scaled 32lb 5oz and beat of the challenge of team mate Geoff Wilmore, whose five fish caught on bomb and corn from peg seven totalled 28lb 15oz.

Mick Addinall (Team Dobin), the favourite to win the series, started brightly with 24lb 8oz of small carp from peg 23.

The match was a sell-out, with forty competitors.

Norman Dixon (Anglers Corner) beat 29 rivals atHorseshoe Lake, Raker.

From peg four he fished pole and corn tight across to the far bank bush for a number of carp in the 2lb to 4lb scale for 22lb 8oz.

The runner-up was Rob Pickles (KL Tackle), who had a level 21lb of carp to pole and meat from end peg 30.

Others: Mick Herrington (Headingley Angling) 20-5-0; John Cosgrove (Anglers Corner) 18-2-0; Stuart Falkingham (Leeds) 17-4-0; Paul Connolly (Hull) 17-3-0.

Willows owner Paul Gallagher (Willows) topped the opening Bob.co Spring League match from peg five on Ridge Pool.

Fishing at 12 metres with corn and maggot over pellets he netted 32lb 8oz of carp, ide and tench for an easy win.

Keith Gray (Anglers World) continued his good form of last season with second place. From peg three on the same lake he had 20lb 2oz of ide and orfe.

Others: Dave Armitage (Hirst Tackle) 19-10-0; Steve Raper (Hirst Tackle) 19-8-0; Mick Lodge (Dick Clegg Ossett) 19-0-0; Mark Rockingham (Bob.co) 18-8-0.

Dean Smith (Van den Eynde Goole) continued his fine form by winning Sunday's open match at the Oaks, which drew 62 competitors to Maple Lake.

Fishing pole and maggot over pellet at 13 metres from peg 30 he netted all small carp for 38lb 4oz.

Paul Taylor (MAP Elton) was close behind with 37lb 4oz of quality fish to 5lb taken on pole and cat food at ten metres from peg 32.

Others: John Allerton (Tricast Whizzo) 37-0-0; Peter Nixon (Newman Scotts) 32-10-0; Dave Cambell (Cleveland Angling Centre) 30-1-0; Clive Stokes (Selby) 27-10-0.

John Chapman (Keenets Elton) steered his side to the top of the league in the fifth round of the Preston Innovations Challenge match at Woodlands on Sunday, when there were 66 anglers.

Chapman weighed in with 75lb 11oz. Fishing 16m with corner to the corner of an island on Dragonfly 13 he took several fish over 8lb.

Roger Holmes (MAP Elton) had more but smaller fish from Swallow 14. His 65-6-0 of pole and corn tempted carp was enough for second place ahead of John McGarill (MAP Elton), who had 54-15-0 from Mallard 14.

Others: Mark Calvert (Cleveland Angling Centre) 46-10-0; Phil Sellars (Elton Tackle) 39-8-0; Alan Gregory (Elton Tackle) 37-9-0.

Teams: Keenets Elton 8; Elton Gold 9; MAP Elton 14.

League: Keenets Elton 13 MAP Elton 20; Milkmen 32.

Updated: 11:32 Wednesday, March 20, 2002