Match Report
The first of the Northern semi-finals of the Angling Trust Winter League took place on Saturday 31st March 2012 at Garbolino Lindholme Lakes, Epworth, Doncaster with 90 anglers who set out to be one of the top 3 teams out of the 9 competing teams to qualify for a place in the Winter League Final to be held on Saturday 11th August 2012 at Partridge Lakes Fishery, Culcheth, Nr Warrington.
Despite conditions on the day going from the 20’s to temperatures of 5-6 degrees along with a very fresh northerly wind, expectations were that the conditions would reduce the potential for big weights, although the venue fished well and weights in excess of 20 kilograms were needed to win each of the 10 sections. The match however, was not about individuals but about teams and hot favourites Drennan North West were to prove that the time they had spent practicing in the run up to the event was to pay off. With four section winners, one second and two thirds in section, plus two fourths and one fifth, they ran out winners with a clear nine point advantage over their nearest rivals.
They also had the individual winner in Andy Bennett who, drawn on Willow lake peg J8 made best use of this fancied peg to amass a total weight of 50 kgs 780 grams. Individual placings:
1st Andy Bennett (Drennan North West) J8 – 50.780
2nd Josh Newton (Browning Quaker) B8 – 37.850
3rd Adie Twist (Tricast Highfield) E1 – 35.350
4th Johnny Madison (Browning Quaker) E2 – 33.970
5th Pete Goodman (Chambers Champs) E9 – 33.540
6th Lee Harrison (Garbolino Ossett) B4 – 31.200
Team placings:
1st Drennan North West 9-5-6-9-6-7-8-7-9-9 (75 points) 262.000
2nd Chambers Champs 1-4-7-8-7-9-7-9-7-7 (66 points) 220.550
3rd Browning Quaker 2-9-5-6-8-8-5-6-5-8 (62 points) 211.450
4th Garbolino Ossett 7-8-9-7-4-4-2-8-6-5 (60 points) 183.260
5th Sensas Mark One 5-6-2-4-5-5-9-5-8-3 (52 points) 173.640
6th Tricast Highfield 6-7-4-3-9-3-4-4-2-2 (44 points) 154.750
7th Long Eaton Federation 8-3-3-5-3-6-1-1-4-6 (40 points) 134.290
8th Ted Carter Preston 4-1-8-2-2-2-6-2-3-4 (34 points) 125.710
9th Dams & Lock 3-2-1-1-1-1-3-3-1-1 (17 points) 87.630
