White fields and a minus 3 degrees made for a hard penultimate round of the North East Winter League on the Lower reaches of the Tees.

Diawa Cleveland rose to the occasion when they notched another win while reigning champions Newman Scott disastrously crashed to 9th place on the day and now look to have blown it.

Team Shimano Quaker's newest recruit Terry Guthrie showed his expertise recording a hard earned 5.7.0 in freezing conditions.

Drawing on peg 15 at Bowesfield, Terry cupped very little feed and kept it tight at 14 metres on the pole, tempting five skimmer bream and a dozen roach by alternating single red maggot and double disco pinkie.

Second place went to Shotton's Keith Ward, ironically pegged on the Wards Lane length at 37 where a combination of stickfloat and pole tactics offering maggot brought 4.13.0 of dace.

Top three teams on the day: 1 Diawa Cleveland 89 pts; 2 Shotton MG 68; 3 Yarm Piscatorials 66.

League placings: 1 Diawa Cleveland 11 pts; 2 Team Shimano Quaker 15; 3 Newman Scott 17; 4 Shotton MG 25; 5 Yarm Piscatorials 29; 6 Dick Clegg Metro 30; 7 Billingham Tackle Box 34; 8 Stokesley 36; 9 Quaker Tackle 40; 10 Northallerton AC 42.

A frost affected Swale carrying 9" of extra water fished surprisingly well for Darlington's Les Ryde Memorial pegged from Brompton Village downstream to opposite Killerby.

Darlington's Derek Waterson put together an impressive four hour total of 21.12.0 for victory.

Fishing one above the scar at Gibson's Farm Ellerton, five chub fell to bomb and caster backed by a trio of grayling on the float.

For fellow Darlington rods runner up Steve Brown sat on the Castlehill corner and floatfished bread resulting in six chub totalling 20.14.0 while John Brown worked his magic on the stickfloat and bronze maggot at Brompton weighing in a lovely bag of grayling consisting of 36 in all for 17.12.0.

RSPS Tek Neek Trabucco veteran Jim Taylor returned to his winning ways following a recent spell in hospital with a crushing win during the Idle and Thackley Open on the middle Swale around Swainby.

Jim upstream of the iron bridge on peg 19 opted for the bomb making sure not to kill the swim under artic conditions and patiently winkled out seven chub on the bread and one on meat from far bank willows to finish with a runaway 25.4.0.

Best of the rest came Darlington's John Eyles who took three late chub for 9.10.0 on the stickfloat and maggot above Kirby Grove Island.

Richmond Angling Society completed the Swale fixtures last Sunday but fish were certainly harder to locate during the November Trophy staged upstream of Great Langton Bridge.

Hartlepool's Bernie Powell needed just 6.11.0 to lift the cup when he secured an all grayling catch to stickfloat and maggot tactics off peg ten.

Match secretary Adrian Lee on the swim above the bridge was rewarded with an early chub on the bomb and meat but then proceeded to add 12 small grayling on the successful stickfloat and maggot approach for 5.14.0 disposing of Darlington's Bill McKenzie with another grayling net for 4.10.0.

Jubilee Lakes - Redworth Darlington: Venue fishing well at present with a rod average of 4.1.

Shotton Colliery angler Jim Stafford landed the heaviest fish of the week a super sized rainbow of 16.4.0 to a black buzzer. While other visitors included fish of 14.3.0, 13.4.0 and 11.15.0. Majority of sport responding to black fritz, bloodworm, black buzzer, PTN, bubby leech and humungus. Bookings on 01388 / 772611.

Fixtures

Tomorrow: Middlesbrough AC Mick Grainge Memorial River Swale, Gatenby to Baldersby. Tickets on (016420 899288.

Woodland Lakes Open (71 pegs) Partridge & Skylark Lake. Tickets on (018450 526110.

Sunday: Thornaby AA Presidents Cup River Tees, Croft to Hurworth.

Shildon AC visits the Tees at Over Dinsdale.

Oaks Sessay Open.

York WL (1) Ouse, Fulford & Middlethorpe.

Tadcaster APA Open River Wharfe, Smaws Ings. Tickets on (01937) 832972.

Woodland Lakes Open.