ONLY ounces separated competitors as squatt and punch dominated catches in Barnton & Frodsham Angling Club's 3rd round match in the Brown Cup series which used the Hole House Lane stretch of the Trent & Mersey Canal at Little Leigh as its venue.

With the canal carrying plenty of colour after recent rains and the influx of cold water, most started tentatively on small baits.

Mick Malam turned in a top performance on the day from peg 3 from behind the orchard close to Saltersford Tunnel. Squatt presented on long pole did the business as he kept a steady stream of small roach and perch coming throughout the duration of the match. He finally weighed in 2-10-0 for a good win in unfavourable conditions.

A few ounces adrift on the next but one, peg 5, was second placed Peter Moore who caught on punch just short of the track in the early stages of the match before having to switch to the far bank line on squatt to top up his net of mainly small roach to 2-6-4.

Drawn on the small wide peg 11, John Lyon took third spot with an all roach catch of 2-5-12, squatt at 10 metres three quarters of the way across the canal keeping him busy, but with a smaller stamp of fish.

Trevor Jones now leads the series with 61 points from Arthur Kennedy on 58 and last week's leader Dave Cowley on 57.

Conditions allowing, next week's 4th round will be fished on the Little Wood length of the River Weaver and doubles up as the club's annual fur and feather match. No Northwich AA permit is required.