ANGLING: THE Fisherman's Tackle team are improving their standing in the Heronbrook Fishery Spring League and are now only two points behind the leaders.

They finished the latest match in second place, led by Colin Cooke who had 37lbs 4oz of carp and bream. He was supported by Andy Moore with a carp-based 33-8-0 and Phil Henry with 20-8-0.

The Rod 'N' Reel team settled for a midway place which reflected their overall position in the league. Their top weighers were Geoff Grantham with 36lbs of carp and Lee Saville with a carp-based 22lbs.

Chester Tackle Locker Sidekicks improved to sixth place to go into the top 10. Their best efforts came from Alan Spencer's 55lbs, with Peter Price adding 25-4-0 and Adrian Paddock 16-8-0.

Their 1664 team were led by Gary Bough with 38lbs of carp, Dave Griffiths with 23-12-0 of carp and Simon Loyley with 15lbs.

Willaston AC were 10th in the final match of the Seacat Super League on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Maghull to give them a final placing of 12th. Their top weighers were Charlie Smith with 6-14-0 of bream and perch, Peter Nelson with 2lbs of small fish and Phil Cross with 1-0-3.

The club is hosting an open match this Sunday at Croughton boats on the SU Canal. The draw is at Croughton bridge at

8.30am and entry is £10 with bloodworm and jokers banned. Bookings to Phil Cross on 0151 513 2473.

John Bristow led at the end of the Manley AC match at Mouldsworth lake with 7-8-0 of bream and tench, ahead of Steve Roxborough's 5-2-0 of tench and Peter Cooper's 3lbs of tench and bream.

Peter Price won the Good Friday open match at Hampton Springs with 66-10-0 of carp, beating Steve Boyd's 63-4-0. The Saturday open went to Gary Bough with a carp-based 77-8-0 from Barry Gabriel's 65-3-0.

Top in the Sunday match was Ray Williams with 84-4-0, from Steve Conway with 60-8-0.

Victory in the Greyhound, Saughall AC match at Milton Green Fishery went to Steve Bampton, who landed a brace of 6lbs carp and some small fish for a total of 17-11-0. John Williams included a 9-8-0 carp in his 12-8-0 and Paul Renshaw had an 8lbs carp in his 10lbs bag.

Steve Furfie won the Helsby Sports and Social Club AC match on the BICC factory pools with 7-2-0, boosted by a 2-8-0 tench. Chris Hargadon was next with 3-12-0 of chub and roach and Malcolm Lightfoot followed with 3-2-0 of roach.

The honours in the Rivacre AC match at Blundells Fishery went to Steve Georgeson with 25-12-0 of hybrids and fantail goldfish. Bob Thelwell was next with a similar catch weighing 21-4-0, with Jimmy Crimes third with 20-10-0.

Rob Smith was top rod in the Peg One AC match at Burton Mere Fishery with 11-6-0 of carp and skimmers, beating Colin Pritchard with a tench-based 7-14-0 and Les Jones who took 6-2-0 of carp and bream.

Chester Police Flyfishers had their top contest of the year at Penycae reservoir, and victory went to Fred March with four rainbows weighing 10-4-0, including the top fish of the day weighing 3-2-0, all taken with a black lure. Peter Hindle was next with 9-6-0 from Steve Armstrong with 9lbs.

Les Picken started a successful week by winning the Milton Green Fishery Tuesday open match with 19lbs of carp, from Mark Greasley's 9-2-0 of carp and roach and Martin Holding's 8-12-0 of carp.

He went on to win the Tarvin Sands AC match on home waters with 21lbs of carp and roach, ahead of Phil Crimes who had 20lbs of carp and Martin Holding with 16-12-0 of carp.

FISHERIES NEWS Grove: Peter Fisher, of Saughall, coaxed a 7lbs common carp to maggot; John Holmes, of Ellesmere Port, tempted a 9lbs grass carp to sweetcorn, and Steve Jones, also of Ellesmere Port, took a grass carp weighing 11lbs with similar tactics.

Cheshire: Chester's Brian Fooks, netted 45lbs of carp and silver fish using pellet.

Meadow: David Best, of Wirral, tempted a 4-12-0 rainbow to a mini fritz lure.

Burton Mere: Fourteen-year-old Tom Carr, of Neston, netted a brace of 22lbs catfish and a 19lbs specimen using squid bait. Stuart Gold, of Chester, tempted a 21lbs catfish to squid.

Dearnford Hall: John Knowles, of Ellesmere Port, tempted a 7-7-0 brownie to a CDC shuttlecock emerger.