ANGLING: MARTIN Lenahan forged a massive first-leg lead in the Northwich Local Cup on Boxing Day, writes JOHN STUBBS.

It leaves everyone else in the completing match on Thursday playing catch-up.

Lenahan, the High Legh-based Lymm AC rod, was drawn on the Weaver's town centre stretch to the right of the Dane mouth and he mastered the conditions superbly to pull 29-2-0 of bream and skimmers into his net.

Ian Shaw (Barlows) was on the left of the confluence and caught similar fish, but just not as many.

He finished with 22-5-0, ahead of joint-thirds Rod Frazer (Vale Royal) and Steve Mitchel (Gaswise) 19-14-0 and Ian Bellfield (VR) 14-14-0.

Dave's of Middlewich matchman Bob Meggs won the Northwich Saturday Open with bream up to 2½lb in with skimmers and silver fish, from above Hunt's Lock and all weighing 16-10-0.

Simon Wilkinson (Dave's) upstream at Vale Royal had 9-8-0 and Reg Berrisford (Barlow's) 8-12-0.

Tip and feeder with maggot and worm baits were the common denominators among the Winsford Wednesday Open front-runners: Gary Webster (Team Trafford) 20-5-0, Kevin Brooks (Gaswise) 14-15-0, Ian Shaw (Barlows) 11-10-0.

Doug Maddock won the Friday Open off peg 201, but with only 6-8-0.

Sunday's rain, frost, sleet and hail deterred the fish but not the anglers. Winner was Frank Slater (Dave's) from peg 588 with 3-11-8, who beat Keith Smith 2-8-0, Brian Hawkins 2-4-0 and Reg Berrisford 2-0-0. All were on the Aerosol length and Maddock took the Meadow Island honours with 1-12-0. Danny Griffiths and Peter Moore jointly lead the way after two matches in the Barnton-Frodsham AC Scott's Shield series.

Moore was Sunday's winner on the Trent and Mersey Canal with chopped worm and caster at 3m, catching 21 perch worth 1-4-2 in total. Calvin Tagg used the same method and caught similar fish, but less successfully, for 0-13-2 and Ken Millington had 0-9-10.

Paul Caffery won the opening match on the top and middle cisterns, with Griffiths second.

Winsford Veterans moved their midweek match from the Marina to Aerosol because of the speed of the river. I suppose I was the main beneficiary, winning the fixture with 4-0-0 off peg 564. I had a dozen bites in the first 90 minutes and contacted a couple of good skimmers late on to be sure. Bill Heardley 2-0-0, Len Clarke 1-14-0, Eric Gillett 1-8-0 were placed.

Farmer's Arms-Davenham fur and feather was won by Frank Slater, who was just above Hunt's Lock. Four skimmers were enough to bring him a little festive cheer. His 6-2-0 beat a pole-caught 1½lb chub and roach of 4-2-0 in total from Bill Heardley. Kev Simpson had 3-13-0 and Ken Taylor 3-11-0.

Barry Stevens had the only double figure bag of the day at Meadow Bank's Saturday match. Chasing his 10-5-0 were Keith Smith 9-11-0, John Beswick 4-15-0 and Jimmy Wright 4-2-0.

Weaver Fixtures Wednesday: Wednesday Open, draw Marina 9.30am; Saturday - Meadow Bank AC 1-30; Sunday - Winter League, all river; Tuesday - Veterans, Marina/Red Lion.

Northwich: Thursday - Northwich Local Cup 2nd leg, town centre, Hunt's Lock, Crescent, blackboards; Saturday - Northwich Mini League, pegs 1-60.