CLUB angler Nigel Crane must be one of the area's most consistent matchman at the moment for, after scoring victories on carp lakes in recent weeks, he has now turned his attention to rivers with considerable success.

After taking the runner up prize on the first Worcester City contest of the new season, Crane turned in a better performance to win the second encounter, held on the club's lower Teme fishery by a very comfortable margin.

Finding himself on the same peg on the top ford as the previous event was no doubt an advantage, with the club star naturally adopting the same straight ledgered luncheon meat tactics.

Four good barbel along with around 20 pounds of chub came to the net giving Crane an excellent winning weight of 42-6-0.

Venue regular Terry Cook took second place when he weighed in just five fish for 26-10-0. Three barbel to nine pounds as well as two huge five pounds chub all fell for his halibut pellet bait offered on ledger tackle somewhere near the horseshoe bend.

Third-placed Dave Wright was pegged near the cottage where he float fished caster and meat to take an all chub net of 12-7-0 while Kevin Proud tackled the previous week's winning peg below the cottage but struggled to find fish, ending with a fourth-placed 6-4-0.

The following day, Worcester City club members travelled to the river Wye at Bishops Wood where Chris Jackson recorded his first ever club win by taking three barbel and two chub for 19-5-0, once again straight ledgered luncheon meat being the successful approach.

Runner up was Malvern star Craig Hobbs making a welcome return to the frame with 12-12-0 of float caught chub.

Third-placed man Richard Parsons also used float tactics to net 11-4-0 of small chub beating club ace Terry Cook who had to settle for fourth spot with a weight of 9-7-0 coming to the swimfeeder.

n Portobello anglers tackled a good looking but difficult river Avon at Fladbury last weekend for their float only contest.

Local ace Alan Baldwin admitted to an element of luck when he landed two big bream, along with a good perch and a few roach on waggler and maggot tackle from his peg towards the downstream end of the venue, which together tipped the scales at a match winning 9-4-0.

Second place went to Birmingham member Ray Meadows who, while landing two bream, managed to loose a further three fish when he presented his bait close into the lily pads, finishing with a weight of 8-14-0.

Unluckiest angler on the bank was former Worcester match star Mick Weston who found fish rolling all day in his peg on the downstream end of the match length but, being restricted to float tackle could not capitalise on the peg and had to settle for just one bream weighing 7-8-0 and third position.

Club secretary Max Hill secured an unusual fourth spot with a barbel and chub net going 7-7-0 beating Alf Hand whose waggler caught 6-6-0 was good enough for fifth.

n Moorlands Farm. Saturday winter League (round six): 1 N. McKinnon 128-8-0, 2 C. Hill 109-4-0, 3 G. Daley 99-3-0. Teams: 1 Mossella Strike 14, 2 Moorlands 15, 3 Top Four 18. League: 1 Moorlands 20, 2 DGL 23, 3 Mossella & Top Four 27.

Sunday open: 1 L. Edwards 136-6-0, 2 S. Harris 119-3-0, 3 R. Massey 109-8-0.

Worcester City are holding a charity angling contest in aid of Macmillan nurses on Saturday, August 14 at Brockamin fishery. Anglers interested can obtain sponsor forms from Alans Tackle on 01905 422107.

n Prospects: Traditionally stillwater bream fishing comes into its own at this time of year with Birmingham's Earlswood yachting lake and Edgbaston reservoir being some of the best.

The BAA's pool at Uckinghall can also produce big nets of 'slabs' on the right day. Open end feeder tactics are what's required with either fishmeal of sweet based groundbait along with worm or red maggot on the hook.

n Wolverley's Ivan Laight followed up his National Standard Open victory with a good carp catch at Poole Hall Fisheries.

Laight landed a 19.5lb fish off peg 23 on the Heron Pool at the Alveley venue in a session of pleasure fishing. There was good fishing at the venue on all waters with the most popular baits being sweetcorn, meat, maggots and macaroni cheese. Weights have varied from 29lbs to 73lbs on all pools.

n Six rainbow trout to 2lb were claimed by Kidderminster angler Antony Warrell with a damsel on the Stella Lake.

The Wyre Dell produced two rainbows to 4lb which were lured by a silver nymph. The Masters Lake yielded an 8lb 9oz brown and a 6lb 12oz rainbow to a Dudley angler with a damsel.

On the coarse Erics Lake, a 39lb 4oz catfish fell to a Stourbridge angler who also landed seven carp to 16lb.