A DISASTROUS performance in Sunday's fourth round of the Yorkshire Winter League leaves York-based Anglers' World with little chance of retaining their title.

After slumping to a lowly seventh place on an out-of-sorts Ouse between Hunters Lodge and Linton, the gap between league leaders Waterline Wibsey and Anglers' World, who are third overall, is eight points.

Despite fixtures on the Ouse below York to come, only a collapse by the Bradford-based leaders offers any chance of a late comeback.

Bernard Nevison topped the day thanks largely to the only bream to show an interest in angler's bait on a cold, coloured and falling river.

Drawn at Linton on peg 267 he offered lobworm for the 6lb slab and added a couple of eels and roach that boosted his catch to 8lb 1oz.

Top man for Waterline Wibsey was Ian Daley, who had a busy day at peg 181 in the willow garth at Hunters Lodge. Whip and pinkie found the bleak at six metres and he flailed away for nearly 200 tiny specimens scaling 4-5-0

Others: Bob Cramner 3-10-0, Keith Mottram 3-8-0, Martyn Highe 3-2-0 and Pete Hyde 3-1-0.

Teams: Waterline Wibsey 70, Hirst Tackle 'A' 66, Hirst Tackle 'B' 57, Leeds Angling Centre 53.

League: Waterline Wibsey 7, Hirst Tackle 'A' 9, Anglers' World Holidays 15.

Steve Buchanan claimed a comfortable win on Pond Four at Oaktree Leisure, Huby, as roach, small carp and quality bream fell to his caster and corn approach at peg 37.

Catching mainly at ten metres, Buchanan ended the day with a commanding 38lb.

Ben Linley was again well to the fore, this time just doing enough to claim second spot with a 21lb 12oz mix of bream and carp taken on pole fished caster from peg 39.

After second place in the Willows winter open last week, teenager Ben Fisk (Ultimate Henglesport) returned to winning ways on Saturday to record his fourth victory in five weeks.

Peg 19 on the Ridgepool provided the setting for another memorable win. Most of the 41-entry struggled for silver fish in rapidly falling water temperatures, but Fisk still managed to get the carp feeding and nearly doubled the next best weight.

Fishing maggot a few centimetres deep to an overhanging willow at 13 metres he found fish to 3lb for an emphatic 62-8-0 net.

Best of the rest was Tony Hewson (Leeds Angling Centre) with a level 33-0-0, which could have been boosted had he not lost ten sizeable carp at peg 24.

Despite cold and clear conditions at Raker Lakes, Wheldrake, weights showed an upturn over the opening round.

Oliver Hewitt took this week's honours with 55lb 11oz made up of a score of carp to three pounds taken on caster and maggot on the long pole at peg 22.

Having tied for second place last time out Jeff Wilmore claimed it for himself with a dozen carp on pellet and long pole fished tight across at peg five.

Updated: 09:43 Wednesday, November 16, 2005