THE severe cold weather last Sunday meant that several matches were either cancelled or moved to other venues.

The Thames was pushing through and the colour had dropped out of it for the 11 anglers who fished the Dorchester AC Christmas match.

Using a cage-feeder packed with liquidised bread, and flake on the hook, Ian Fisher netted five chub for a winning 15.4.0.

Dave Head used the same method to tempt a 4.13.0 chub, enough for second place, and third with a 4oz bullhead, was Rod Rose, who fished a maggot-feeder with three maggots on a size 14 hook.

Cuddesdon Mill VAA moved their Christmas Cup from Cuddesdon to the Thame at Chistlehampton, where the nine anglers found a river that didn’t look too bad.

Mick Harding triumphed with two chub weighing 5.2.0 on legered bread, while there was a tie second for second, with both Phil Almond and Roger Smith catching one chub each for 4.6.0.

Phil had his on legered bread and Roger used lobworm.

Bryan Bull was fourth with a chub of 4.3.0 on pole and maggot.

The Kidlington Wise Alderman Christmas Trophy was a joint club affair with Tackley, a total of 21 fishing, with 13 from Kidlington and eight from Tackley, but only ten weighed in.

The Cherwell at Thrupp looked spot-on, if a little pacy, but turned out to be `very hard.

Steve Malone (Tackley) landed a 4.14.8 bream on legered worm to take top spot, while a legered lump of bread tempted a chub 4.3.0 for Dave Clarke (Kidlington), which was enough for second place.

Third with a 3.15.0 bream was Jim Martin (Kidlington), who legered a piece of bread.

Beehive AC fished their Christmas Match at Milton Pools, near Wheatley, and the ten competitors didn’t have much festive fun as the lake was frozen, with only three pegs ice-free.

Only four anglers caught and the winner was Martin Wilkinson with eight carp and some small roach weighing 3.14.0, all taking maggot.

Robert Bennett caught one carp for a second-placed 2.9.0, again on maggot, and third with 0.9.0 was Bob Alder.

There was a good turn-out of 15 for the Masons Christmas Cup, fished on the Oxford Canal at the Rock of Gibraltar, where most anglers had to break the ice.

The winner at the final whistle was Andy Benwell (Predator), who weighed in 120 small roach and gudgeon for 3.10.0 on the pole at 14 metres with punch.

Martin Robinson was pegged next to the winner, and fished bloodworm over joker with a little groundbait to winkle out 75 small fish for 2.5.0.

In third place with 1.11.0 of bits was Jan Stankowski, who fished double pinkie at five metres.

North Oxford’s Christmas Match was fished by 18 on a frozen canal at King’s Bridge. Only eight anglers caught and everyone had to break the ice in front of them.

First, second and third places were all sat in a row. Roger Brown won with 1.11.0 from a small hole about five feet from the bank after most of his swim froze over again once the ice had been broken. He used bloodworm over joker to catch small roach and perch.

Alan Bateman was runner-up with 1.3.0, comprising 45 small roach and perch on bloodworm over joker, while third with 0.11.8 was John Coleman, who also used bloodworm and joker and caught around 40 small fish.

Sutton Courtenay moved their Christmas Cup from Appleford to Culham Cut on the Thames and it turned out to be a real struggle for the 15 matchmen.

Only three managed to find any fish and Mario Grantnito was tops with five little roach on maggot-feeder for 0.12.0.

Using a pole with maggot, Bill Vigor claimed second spot with 0.5.8 of perch, and third with 0.0.4 was Gary Stafford on pole with worm on the hook over chop.

Drennan donated the prizes and £190 was raised for Cancer Relief.