DEVIZES MG slipped to second overall after the third round of the Upper Thames Winter League fished on the Avon at Chippenham and Melksham.

Maver Lobbys took top spot on the day with 47 points followed by Garbolino Blackmore Vale MG with 33 and Browning Andover with 30, Devizes finishing in fifth spot.

Individual honours went to Brian Pollard of Daiwa Gordon League with chub, skimmers and roach weighing 21 lb 10 oz.

Andy Price of Maver Lobbys took runner up spot with 18 lb 4 oz of skimmers and roach, followed by Kevin Bennett, of Garbolino Blackmore Vale MG, with 15 lb 10 oz.

Other placings: 4. Stewart Dabbs Browning Andover 15 lb 1 oz; 5. Andy Powell Maver Lobbys 13 lb 0 oz; 6. Derek Jarman Maver Lobbys 12 lb 13 oz.

Teams: 1. Maver Lobbys 47; 2. Garbolino Blackmore Vale MG 33; 3. Browning Andover 30; 4. Swindon Talisman 29; 5. Devizes MG 25.

League table: 1. Garbolino Blackmore Vale MG 7; 2. Devizes MG & Daiwa Gordon League 8; 4. Maver Lobbys 11; 5. Browning Andover 14; 6. Swindon Talisman 15.

THE Avon at Chippenham rose nearly five feet during the day on Sunday after heavy rain and snow and competitors in the Chippenham match suffered with fish almost impossible to catch.

Nigel Smith, from Calne, was the only one to reach double figures with a single bream and a couple of roach for a winning weight of 4 lb 4 oz.

Mark Wooldridge, of Chippenham, took runner up spot with 6 oz 8 dm of roach, while Ian Liddell, from Chippenham, took third prize with 5 oz of roach.

Other placings: 4. Kevin Williams & Alex Hyde Chippenham 3 oz; 6. Trevor Payne Corsham and Luke Wooldridge Chippenham 2 oz.

THE Foxhanger stretch of the Kennet & Avon Canal at Devizes was in sparkling form on Sunday where Stuart White, from Chippenham, carried off top prize with a bream and skimmers weighing 20 lb 12 oz.

John Atkins, from Trowbridge, was runner up with 18 lb 12 oz of roach and skimmers, followed by Steve Saunders, from Melksham, with 16 lb 6 oz of roach and perch.

Other placings: 4. Dave Baker Trowbridge 14 lb 3 oz 8 dm; 5. Gerry Lugg Beckington 13 lb 5 oz; 6. Neil Hounsell Trowbridge 9 lb 0 oz.

COMPETITORS enjoyed top class sport in the Ivy House Tuesday Open match.

Phil Mackay, of The Duke, carried off top prize with 69 lb 15 oz of carp, followed by Terry Robinson, of Ivy House, with 68 lb 2 oz of carp.

Derek Bentley of Ivy House was third with 52 lb of carp and Mick Robbins of Ivy House fourth spot with 33 lb 8 oz of carp.

Future events

Sunday Nov 11: Westend match at Chippenham; Poppy Open match at Keynsham; Frome Victorians match River Brue; Calne Open match at Hazeland; Airsprung match at K & A Canal Tithe Barn.

MORE SPORTS NEWS & PICTURES IN FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES AND THIS WEEK'S GAZETTE & HERALD