TICKETS are now on sale for what will be the first York Amalgamation match of a difficult season.

Demand is likely to be high and with the use of the Middlethorpe stretch still in doubt, tickets are sure to sell out.

Following the sale of the club's headquarters at the City Arms the draw will take place at the St Clement's Working Men's Club.

The Ouse at present is low and clear and with night temperatures descending to frost levels sport is likely to be difficult. While bream and skimmers have been hard to come by anglers persevering with hemp and caster have tempted roach with maggots taking perch and smaller silver fish.

York Juniors finished their summer series of matches with two matches at Mayfield Grove Pond and Carpvale where they have had free use of the fishieries.

Kelly Righam was the only angler to break a pound with 1lb 1oz at the Dringhouses lake, with Chris Turner (13oz) and Oliver Kirk (10oz) coming close.

The Carpvale event, fished on the prolific front pool, saw Joshua Dyson bag 5lb 8oz of small carp to net victory. Matthew Annandale took 3lb 8oz and Tom Hodson a level 3lb.

York junior coach Linda Wallis is hoping to run a series of four matches for slightly larger anglers at the Brafferton fishery. There are 50 pegs available for the Sunday events which will start on October 14. Details can be obtained from her at Mitre Pets.

There's bad news for York book holders who frequented the Moorlands fishery at Skelton.

Following rent re-negotiations the lease has been relinquished by the committee and is no longer available to York members.

There is still no light at the end of the tunnel at Laybourne Lakes, Hessay, with planning permission still being sought for bank works.

With such issues to discuss and the City Arms situation on the agenda this year's York AGM promises to be a lively affair. Notices of motion should be in the hands of the general secretary by October 2.

Weekend match bookings see Local AC at Poppleton as the only match tomorrow. On Sunday it is the turn of Pudsey with Clifton at Park View. Below York BRS tackle the Donkey Woods with Acomb taking both sections opposite. Burton Stone visit the tidal waters at Acaster with Cygnet on the reopened stretch of the Derwent at Howsham Hall.

The midweek match at Carpvale provided a win for Mal Laverack, who netted 17 fish on floating bread from peg 37 for his winning bag of 57lb 4oz.

Graham Lake took second with a mixed bag of carp, tench and chub scaling 43lb4oz from peg 49.

At the Willows, Ian Walker scored another win from peg 35. Fishing pole and pellet he netted a brace of 7lb carp plus lots of smaller specimens for a runaway 67lb 8oz. Tony Hewson took second with 34lb 8oz of carp and ide from peg 42 with Phil Austin bagging a level 31lb from peg 31.

John Wharton, feeder fishing with worm and caster, won the Royal Oak Angling Club (Tadcaster) five-hour match on the Ouse below York.

Wharton, who also fishes for Cygnet AC in York, landed 97lb 12oz, way ahead of his nearest rival, Keith Hardy (24-4) with Tony Emmott third with 14-4.

Updated: 12:21 Friday, September 14, 2001