PERSHORE Match Group star Ian Shepherd topped a week of high match placings when he won the second round of the WDUAA winter league on the canal last Sunday.

A sudden drop in overnight temperatures left some competitors struggling for ounces but not Shepherd, who started off in blistering style when he took around five pounds of fish during the opening two hours of the match.

Drawn well on peg 172 in the Arboretum, the former AFS matchman relied on an initial groundbait and squatt approach presented well into the far bank reeds, tactics that produced a run of small roach, perch and gudgeon.

A tactical change to chopped worm, still fed tight to the sedges, led to the downfall of a large perch before the peg died. Perseverance with the worm eventually paid of when Shepherd hooked another big 'stripey' in the dying minutes of the match, the fish snagging him several times before coming to the net, giving him a narrow victory with a total weight of 7-6-10.

Runner up was canal expert Alan Baldwin (Phoenix) who once again proved his supremacy on the venue by taking an all roach net weighing a level 7-0-0 from unfancied peg 224 in the Blockhouse.

After a fruitless first hour fishing for 'bits,' Baldwin pinned his faith in his favourite caster bait presented into the centre channel and was rewarded with a good 12 ounce roach straight away. Alternating between bronze maggot and caster saw the former river ace add another dozen redfins to his net along with another creditable section win.

Third place went to Worcester Match Group angler Nick Vaughan on peg 213, who landed a near three pound chub on double caster before adding small fish taken on the maggot from the deeper water, together weighing 4-7-8 and fourth Matt Roberts (Rexel), with a huge canal bream and a few roach going 4-4-12 from peg 148.

Top team on the day was once again Good Intent with 19 penalty points followed by Phoenix on 21 and WMG Blue with 22.

The league after two rounds sees Good Intent open their lead at the top with 40 points, second are WMG Blue with 44 and third Phoenix on 46.

The next round is on Sunday, November 11 where Blackpole to Bilford will be the sections used.

There will also be an open on the canal this Sunday. Draw 8am at the Cavalier pub.

n Veteran anglers upstaged their younger counterparts when they secured the top two places on the latest Portobello club match.

The contest was scheduled for the Fox waters at Birlingham but with the Avon bank full after the recent heavy rains a change to the club pool at Rushwick was preferred.

First place went to club secretary Max Hill who's 10-2-0 gave him victory in what was a very close fought contest. Drawn on peg 12 Hill used maggot bait on the hook over chopped worm feed to take three small carp along with skimmers and small roach.

Second was southern exile Ron Eagle who netted all small fish from peg six near the island on sweetcorn and meat for a total catch of 9-13-0 pushing in form Gary Brixton into third place with 9-4-0 taken from peg 16.

n Sunday's open on the Meadow, Bank and Moors pools at Moorlands Farm saw the top five anglers all record weights over one hundred pounds!

Shakespeare anglers took the first two positions with recent signing Les Thompson taking pole position with an all carp net, caught up in the water on Meadow 19, weighing a staggering 164-15-0.

Team-mate Neil McKinnon was second with 146-6-0, caught in similar style to the winner but from peg 23 on the Bank pool. Chris Hill (Fosters) was third with 105-9-0, Lee Richards fourth with 104-10-0 and Neville groves in fifth place weighing 104-4-0.

The previous day's winter league produced a win for the talented Hybrids team with 62 points beating Fosters Elite who recorded 57. After two rounds Lifestyle Blue are top of the league on 30 points followed by Foster Elite with 29 and Hybrids on 28.

Individually it was another success for Lifestyle Blue member Andy Newton who landed 76-3-0 from Bank peg nine using sweetcorn. Second place went to Grant Albutt (Hybrids) with 74-7-0 followed by Dave Hinton (Fosters) with 72-13-0.

Wednesday Open: A Newton 88-11-0, C. Pace 55-10-0, M. Henshall52-1-0.

Prospects: If the Severn fines down for this weekend Pitchcroft will be the place to head for, where roach were already staring to feed in the top pegs before the recent flood. Canals and stillwaters will be patchy, but caster bait should produce sport on both types of venues.