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Apparently, this year you all get treated to an ‘Alternative’ match report, so here goes: Probably the biggest turn out ever showed up for this year’s annual FM Keith Culley Memorial Match at Clattercote, and the motley crew assembled for breakfast at Tesco’s, with high hopes of a good day’s sport. Nice to see the usual familiar faces, along with some fresh meat, sorry, draw bag fodder, sorry, welcome first timers, making the numbers up to almost forty. As usual, the weather for the match was wind and showers, followed by showers and wind, which of course cleared up just as we were leaving! The normal good natured banter at the draw, with defending champion Gary Knowles ‘up for it’ and determined to show that his back to back wins at FM events last year were no flukes. Those who don’t know Barney won’t understand that beneath that gruff, forthright exterior, is a sensitive soul who was hurt by the constant references to borrowed gear, bait, and generally being a jammy git. His stated mission was to beat Graham at all costs, and their stirring head to head battle went right to the wire, the pair matching each other fish for fish, with the lead constantly changing. Elsewhere, as the day progressed we were all being updated as to fish coming out all over the place, mostly on corn as the bag/wag and method bombardment continued throughout the day These running reports were provided by none other than Mark ‘TC’ (Two Cameras) Wintle, released from his role of tackle wallah and acting as official photographer (weddings and christenings at reasonable rates) TC roamed the boards all day snapping away and telling us how well everyone else was doing, thanks! It became obvious from these bank side snippets that it would need a pretty good bag (for Clattercote) to make the frame and come the weigh-in, that indeed proved to be the case. Barney and Graham’s personal battle ended with Barney the victor with 28-11 to Graham’s 27-03, with not a little rejoicing taking place. As is often the case, with two people battling away so hard they fail to spot someone sneaking up on the inside, and Mike Davy did just that as he heaved 29-03 into the weigh net. But the excitement wasn’t over with end peg man Clive King quietly amassing an impressive 43-11. Poor Clive must know how West Ham felt to have one hand on the FA cup, because Stu Dexter next to him could only manage to scratch together a net of tench that weighed 26-11, trouble was he had another net full of carp that went over 67lbs giving him a winning total of 94-08…! So congratulations and the trophy to Stu for an really outstanding catch, on a day that provided some good sport as the following back up weights show, despite the usual atrocious Clattercote weather. The Results
There, all that without making reference to Mr. Knowles emissions, the sartorial choices of Andy Nellist, or the fact that despite offering to buy drinks for everyone, Graham unfortunately had to rush off at the end. Although, I have got to write an article for the end of the week… |
Some photo’s from the day’s event: