York-based Craig Robinson scored the first open match win of his fledgling career with an intelligent and emphatic victory in the 49-peg Hospitals Cup.

Fished on the Ouse between Fulford and Donkey Woods, many of the field thought bream would hold the key following heavy rain the previous day.

York Tackle's Robinson thought differently. After being woken at 3am by his young daughter he realised that a heavy frost had fallen and would make breaming futile.

Drawn on the stump in the Donkey Woods, he attacked two lines with perch and roach in mind.

Beginning with chopped worm at six metres, he took a string of perch to 8oz before the line died. He then went out to 13 metres, where he alternated caster and pinkie to keep small perch and tiny roach coming.

Despite heavy boat traffic he was able to keep the fish coming by chopping and changing and even managed a few small roach on hemp.

His winning net of 6lb 13oz put him well ahead of local stalwart Dave Potter (Anglers World Holidays), who got one over on son Mick who was adrift in fourth place.

The elder statesman found the only decent bream of the day from a peg in the pumper, where he offered two red maggots below a groundbait feeder for his slab, plus a few roach scaling 5lb 4oz 8dr.

It was tight after that with just a couple of ounces separating the rest of the main prize-winners.

Ricky Gaunt took third with a 5lb 4oz of roach and perch from a peg opposite the sand bed, while a few pegs upstream Mick Potter was on the stump at Fulford where he used the shelter afforded from the strong winds to good effect netting 5lb 3oz of mainly roach to stick and maggot.

Others: John Cyrowski 5-2-8; Mark Leslie 4-12-0.

Richard Burns scored his second win in as many weeks on Saturday when he topped the Willows open from peg 32 on Goldrush.

Fishing chopped worm and caster at 16 metres, he caught 78lb 8oz of ide to 2lb and carp to 5lb.

Not far behind was Ben Fisk who bagged himself a handy 75lb 8oz from peg 45 on the same lake. The youngster pole-fished at 14 metres between two islands, where he alternated pellet, maggot and cat meat to keep the fish interested.

Updated: 10:26 Wednesday, October 12, 2005