Great Yarmouth crack match angling outfit Browning Pownalls carried off the highly prestigious Borough Team Championship last Sunday.The B/P Red team of Barry Burlton, Dennis Goodwin, Andy Toogood and Paul Gardiner were the only squad to weigh in fish at all four sections on the Barford Willow and Railway Lakes venue, writes Roy Webster.

Great Yarmouth crack match angling outfit Browning Pownalls carried off the highly prestigious Borough Team Championship last Sunday.

The B/P Red team of Barry Burlton, Dennis Goodwin, Andy Toogood and Paul Gardiner were the only squad to weigh in fish at all four sections on the Barford Willow and Railway Lakes venue, writes Roy Webster.

That high-octane performance left B/P the equivalent of a lap ahead of the opposition with a score of 13 penalty points. Pownalls Blue fished a tie with George Prior Under-21s with both on 26 points. However, the latter took second spot on the weight aggregate count down rule.

Pownalls team boss and founder member Barry Burlton said the splendid result confirmed that his outfit, launched into local team fishing some three seasons back, is now a major force on the local team circuit.

“We hope to end our season with a top three finish in the final round of the Barford Winter League on Sunday,” he declared.

Top individual on the day was Stalham's Alex Watson with 77lb 9oz followed by Andy Toogood, 40lb 11oz, and Kevin Chaplin of Martham with 30lbs. Those top three were all pegged on the Willow Lake but unfortunately the Railway Lake failed to come up to scratch and was largely responsible for 19 blanks among the 56 anglers competing in 14 teams for the honour of becoming Borough Champions 2009.

Lee Arnold, who initiated this hardy annual three years back, said he was impressed by Pownalls' triumph but was disappointed with the poor form of the Railway Lake.

Pownalls currently occupy fourth spot in the Barford Winter League but they cannot afford a single failure on Sunday if they are to overhaul Anglers World for a third place finish in the final tournament of their most successful season so far.

There were other local successes on the open match circuit. Ormesby angler Stephen Rouse won the Hill Farm, Banham, open with 19lb 3oz, Ray Kent (Jolly Boys) was narrow runner-up at Mill Farm with 44lb 2oz just 18oz adrift of winner James Parnell of the renamed Brundall Huntsman Club.

Full results: Yarmouth Borough Challenge - Individuals: A Watson (Stalham) 77lb 9oz, A Toogood (Browning Pownalls Red) 40lb 11oz, K Chaplin (Martham) 30lb. Teams: Pownalls Red 13 penalty points, George Prior U21s 26, Pownalls Blue 26 (lower aggregate).

Stalham AC, Little Melton: A Watson 53lb 2oz, J Hehir 51lb 4oz, D Dearman 39lb 7oz.

Caister Carols, Melton Ponds: A Waldron 29lb, J Payne 13lb (two weighed in).

On the stillwater fisheries the sudden upturn in temperatures will stimulate quality fish to feed in earnest.

The Martham Angling Club have announced their pits near Martham Ferry are remaining open throughout the close season and are available for club members and permit anglers. The prospects for carp, tench and bream this weekend are rated excellent.

Hall Farm, Burgh Castle, is guaranteed to produce quality carp up to the low 20s while the neighbouring Burgh Castle Fishery, formerly known as Greens Pits, is ready to relinquish some of its prime specimens as well as provide local clubs with plenty of action in the match lake that has recently been restocked with numerous skimmer bream.

Along the beach spring codling produced excellent catches in the past seven days with some locals taking up to 18 fish to 4lbs at Hopton. But, with high pressure starting to dominate, these fish may well move out beyond casting range during daylight hours.