TOP TEAMS are bound to bite the dust in this Sunday's final round of the Reel Care Teams of Four on Longbridge.
The match is going to be an absolute cracker with no less than seven of nine teams deserving of a place in the final - on paper. With only three to qualify, four top sides must go out.
Last year's champions, Eastleigh, will have to be at their very best to even make the final.
Reel Care have put together a great team, consisting of Homestores-sponsored Ray Hayward and Marc Illingworth, along with Eastleigh angler Steve Hunt and Nick Greek from Dorset and look almost certain to qualify.
Homestores have a new look with Dave Croucher and Andy Palmer replacing Hayward and Illingworth - and don't look as strong as Reel Care.
The two West Country Sillybaits sides - Black and Original - command respect and have done well in the past, while Andy Browne's Avon Angling will also be in the shake-up.
Poingdestres dominated the teams of four for more than a decade and, despite it being a few years since their name last went on the cup, are still superb on Longbridge and look the class act in the heat. Team Emstatt and Eastleigh Tightlines seem hopelessly outclassed.
The The Nigel Turner/Thomson's Financial Planning Sunday Series sixth round, held over two matches on Dryad and Vale Farm saw good weights taken from both venues.
On Dryad, Steve Nadin (Wessex Angling) took the honours with 116lb 14oz from Graham Tappenden (Homestores Sensas) with 98lb 6oz and Gerry Illingworth (Allans Marine) in third place.
Others: Gary Naylor (Toyota) 89lb 2oz, Phil Stride (Cormorants) 85lb 8oz, Dave Sharp (Cormorants) 79lb 12oz.
On Vale Farm Steve Hunt (Micheldever) won with 70lb 6oz of small carp on the pole, pellet and corn for 70lb 6oz of small carp on the pole, pellet and corn for 70lb 6oz, followed home by Dave Self (Eastleigh) with 68lb 5oz.
Others: Paul Barnard (Eastleigh) 45lb 1oz, others Paul Shepherd (Basingstoke) 40lb 3oz, Bob Wackrill (Avon Angling) 38lb 7oz, Malcom Pepperell (Salisbury) 33lb 10oz.
Steve Nadin and Steve Hunt qualify for the final in September.
Series points to date after six rounds: Malcom Pepperell (Salisbury) 106, Dave Sharp (Cormorants) 104, Paul Barnard (Salisbury) 103, Neil Tappin (Mosella) and Graham Tappenden (Homestores Sensa) 99, Geoff Charman 98.
Chalkie White (Hansfords), in fine form lately, won the Broadlands Wednesday Evening Series match on the Lower lake with 61lb 5oz of bream taken on the waggler and pellet off peg six, to win clearly from Rick Kajko (Cormorants) with 36lb 7oz.
Others: 3 Gary Wright (Eastleigh) 24lb 8oz, 4 Simon Hambidge (Dynamite Baits) 24lb, 5 Kev Downer (TVAC) 23lb 7oz.
The Saturday Greenridge Farm Summer Series again saw Chalkie White (Hansfords) take the honours with 65lb 14oz of carp taken on the pole and cat food, with Paul White (Eastleigh) second with 63lb 7oz, hot on his heels was Bob Drew (Eastleigh) 63lb 3oz.
Others: 4 Dave Parvin (Hansfords) 59lb 11oz, 5 Pete Newman (Poingdestres) 41lb 12oz, 6 Mick Kenny 38lb 11oz.
TVAC fished a club championship match which was also a Toyota qualifier on Broadlands Lower Lake at the weekend. Dave Parvin took 62lb 9oz of carp on the method feeder to win from Gary Wright, who weighed in a carp of 14lb, plus bream, taken on waggler and pellet, for 60lb 14oz.
Others: 3 Kev Downer 48lb 11oz of tench, bream and carp, 4 Norman Hayter 46lb 14oz, 5 Mick Small 44lb 6oz.
Dave Parvin qualified for the Toyota final.
The Thursday Evening Stoneham bottom lake series saw Dave Self take 34lb 8oz of tench, skimmers and crucians on the pole and corn from peg one to win from Rich Allen, second with 28lb 6oz from peg 27.
Others: 3 Graham Tappenden 26lb, 4 Mick Marsh 20lb 6oz, 5 Alistair Murchie 19lb 14oz, Wendy Halliday 16lb 9oz.
Eastleigh are off to fish the Division Three national on the Tidal Trent on Saturday.
Terry Hiscock won Wednesday night's Wimborne Evening Series match on Packhorse Lake, Kingsbridge with 36lb, with Ron Edwards in second place on 30lb 2oz and Dick Thorpe third with 25lb 1oz.
Hordle's Thursday evening series saw Chris Albiston fish long pole and corn to take 35lb 7oz of small carp and narrowly beat Geoff Charman (35lb 1oz).
Others: 3 Chris Burges 28lb 5oz, 4 Steve Mauncey 24lb 2oz.
Saturday's Open on Witherington Farm's Snake Lake found Tony Gilbert well out in front with 79lb 7oz of carp from peg 81. John Gray, fishing peg 60 for carp on the band and pellet, took 36lb 11oz. Julian Heaven was third with 33lb 9oz from peg 84 and J Knight fourth with 33lb from peg 73.
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