THE ninth Barney Barrington Memorial Match took place last Sunday, on the Beale Park stretch of the River Thames at Pangbourne, where 38 anglers turned out to honour arguably the best match angler our area ever produced.

The river wasn’t at its best but all felt the occasion was more important than the match.

Thatcham Tackle dealer Tony Franklin took the honours with a roach and perch bag of 10lb 1oz all falling to a caster, chopped worm and pole approach. Ian Jones drew between the islands, and his ground bait and maggot method fished under the pole gave him second spot on 9lb 2oz. River rookie Bartosz Recki put pole ground bait and caster to good use for his 8lb 10oz of mixed. Colin Shepherd fished a tidy match to net 7lb 15oz and fourth spot, while Nick Stevens made up the frame with 7lb 13oz.

André Grandjean ran an efficient match. Sean Barrington and Nobby Branton perched the venue, and it was nice to see Barney’s grandson Tommy and his girlfriend Hannah turn out to help.

A sum of £195 was raised for St Michael’s Hospice.

Camrose AC went to Chaley Park Lake on Sunday last, where Glen Wills did the business with 21lb of carp on pole and meat. Pete Morris fished with pole and bread for his second placed 20lb 90z. Bill Atkinson made third spot on 18lb 7oz using pole and pellet, while Terry Bowles used pole and meat for his 12lb 10oz.

Oxoid AC fished their latest match at Willow Pool, where Peter Lovegrove top scored with 87lb of carp on pole and maggot – the best of the nine carp haul weighed 14lb 8oz.

Harry Roach took second place with 48lb of carp and bream on pole and maggot. Simon Nichols came next with a pole and maggot caught mixed bag of 26lb 5oz, while Shelton Caswell made up the frame with 23lb 4oz of carp.

Adventure’s Nick Sargent ran a “swindle” at Coves Theale Pit last Sunday, and of the seven anglers that fished the lowest weight was 113lb. Mick Fordham topped out with 179lb of carp on pole and corn. Gary Herman pole and magged it for 176lb of carp. Graham Spiller also fished pole and maggot for his 158lb of carp.

With my dining room being decorated, ’er indoors decided that a new cabinet was needed to set the whole thing off and, as I wasn’t fishing that day, I could do the dreaded shopping with her.

First stop Basingstoke town centre, where she saw one she liked, then off to Reading to see if she could spot a better one.

Several shops and hours later, back to Basingstoke to the original shop and cabinet.

At last I thought, this furniture merry-go-round would end. Wrong, ‘er indoors now decided that it was not what she wanted at all.

Tot up the fuel bill, man hours and eating out bills, and we could have bought a Chippendale cabinet!

Catch me next week.