Grey claims Division 2 title as Alvah’s catch lights up the night

WALKING tall – that’s John Gray after Saturday’s Division Two Angling Trust national on the fickle Gloucester Canal.

Typically playing second-fiddle to his wife, MKAA head coach Nuala, this time he was runaway top scorer for the ‘Let’s Fish Coaches’ Yellow team – 10th in section with 2.150 kilo (4-12) and notching 31 points.

That helped the squad make a big improvement on their 2019 result (last) as they finished 33rd overall with 162 points, as they finished 33rd among the 40 10-person teams this time round.

John’s A section net included a decent hybrid, half-a-dozen mini-eels and several perch, all on chopped worm at five metres.

Nuala, pegged next to blokes banging away at repairs on a moored boat, earned 11 points for 0.880 and Newport-based Richard Gibbs got 21 with 2.200. Other ‘Yellow’ members included Nene’s Sue Galloway (9 for 0.350) and Luton’s Dennis Hunt (1 for 0.090).

Let’s Fish is the Canal River Trust-backed nationwide coaching programme intended to reel more youngsters into angling, and its two other teams made 21st and 28th, Saturday.

AWAY across the Irish Sea, Phil Bardell finished 5th in the five-day River Erne 100 festival while Pete Patton was 10th overall with 61 kilo – in a 157 strong field – after five days of the Fermanagh Feeder Classic.

ALL lit up! That was Alvah Eszenyi who, after two 22s and a 19 from Furzton, went back to bag his first koi – ‘the carrot’ – at 13-12.

CIAN Hussain, 13, is brand new to angling but thanks to friends he’s had a string of carp to low doubles from a local club lake. Well done that lad!

FISHING Newport’s Ouse Andy Ellis landed a 3-4 perch, a 2-6, two 2-3s plus some smaller ones – his best river perch outing this year so far.

SO far this summer Paul Morton has landed a 6-2 tench and several 5s from Bradwell Lake.

ON Lodge Allan Lloyd caught a 20lb mirror and a 13lb common...in only a couple of hours.

LAGOON, Furtho Manor Farm, Tony Richardson 21-11, Mark Penwell 15-15, Paul Swain 5-9.

MK Vets: Lodge, Richard Latimer 13-12, Mick Hefferon 9-2, Colin Chart and Kevin Osborne both 8-6.

TOWCESTER/Northampton, Astwell Mill: Les Goodridge 9lb, Simon Cordingly 8lb, John Balhatchett 6-13.

KINGFISHER, Ouse, the Main: Jonny White 4-13, Craig Knight 3-14, Steve Carr 3-3.

MKAA, Calverton Road Ouse: Bob Gale 3-15, Steve Chilton 2-15, Paul Hamilton 2-14.