2nd - Dale Edwards.........41cm - 10 Points (£36)
3rd - Mark Davies...........34cm - 9 Points (£18)
4th - Paul Argent............32cm - 8 Points
5th - Stu Davies..............28cm - 7 Points
5th - Roy Schofield..........28cm - 7 points
5th - Ste Atkinson...........28cm - 7 Points
8th - Wayne Kirby...........27cm - 4 Points
9th - Rob Turner.............26cm - 3 Points
9th - Dave Roberts..........26cm - 3 Points
9th - Nigel Conlon...........26cm - 3 Points
12th - Peter Dowd...........25cm - 1 Point
13th - Dave Radcliffe.......23cm - 1 Point
14th - Tony Holland..........0cm - 1 Point
14th - Adam Roper...........0cm - 1 Point
14th - Maerig Darley.........0cm - 1 Point
14th - Sean Dowd............0cm - 1 Point
14th - Mark Gilbert..........0cm - 1 Point
Longest Fish Pool - Dale Edwards........Codling 41cm (£18)
With the venue change made due to the weather forecast we arrived at Town Hall Steps two rounds earlier than planned and based on the grueling match that followed, we may not be heading back anytime soon.
18 anglers booked in on what was a very blustery yet dry day. The rain did threaten on a couple of occasions but overall the fishing was still fairly comfortable with the wind directly off our backs once out on the beach.
Due to the combination of wind and pressure the tide took an age to go out so we had to wait a considerable time before we could all get out on the bank......................
Once down everyone spread out along the bank. Dave Radcliffe went all the way along to where the water meets the wall along with Mark Gilbert. I was then directly in front of the steps with Maerig, Dave Roberts and and Stu Davies to my left. There was then a gap before the majority of the lads who had all decided to stay closer to the groyne....................
All in was finally called at 12:15 and we waited for some action. Then we waited some more. For the vast majority of people the first hour was absolutely dead apart from crabs stripping the baits within seconds and also a large number of star fish being pulled in on the retrieve. One person who did find a couple of fish early on was Dave Radcliffe with a couple of micro Codling, biggest being 23cm.
All around me was absolutely barren of fish and right along the stretch was looking similar however there were one or two fish now making an appearance up towards the groyne area. Ste Trish had fresh crab and he was putting it to good use taking two Codling in quick succession, the best being 37cm. Mark Davies also took a Codling of 34cm whilst Peter Dowd managed to find the only flat fish so far in the form of a 25cm Dab.
The fishing continued to be dire with many people still blanking and those who had caught had only caught single fish, apart from Ste Trish who continued to find fish here and there including a Dab to go with his Codling and to make him the only man with a flat and a round on his card.
Dale Edwards then saved his blank with the best fish of the day in the form of this pristine 41cm Codling. A lovely clean run fish that would be enough to give him the longest fish pool on the day and make him the nearest challenger to Ste Trish going into the second half of the match...........
As the tide dropped and the light faded it did not get any better and people were still scratching around to avoid the blank. A few more managed it as the odd solitary Whiting was taken as the flood started however on a day where the majority of people struggled and only weighed in with single fish on their cards it was Ste Trish who stood out from the crowd taking 6 fish in total and being the only man to get the combination on his card on what was a very difficult day.
I'm just glad I had something better to do like......puppy sitting 
