Pewsey and normal Jogging

After last weeks defeat to Radcot I stayed late into the night constructing a set of six Voodoo dolls clad in Radcot T shirts and Gore-tex. On completion I placed a copy of their photo on the dart board surrounding the dart board with the voodoo dolls; and let the darts fall where they fell this week.  Needless to say if it worked then Pewsey Blue were not the only ones to live with the pain this past week.

It was with some difficulty I turned out this morning.  Hard frost and a bloody cold night had left Poppy whiter than white; and she struggled to chug into life (battery needs charge).  I loaded up with the kit my bait and Mark Russ's bait nearly forgot the bread punch and got under way, to the sounds of Thin Lizzy and "Killer on the loose again."

Apt as within a hundred yards a Blackbird had flown from the kerb and lodged in the radiator grill.  I should have heeded the Shepherds warning as the morning red sky was offering up sacrifice after sacrifice.  By the time I got to Wilcot road to park up I had had a near miss with two Deer one Magpie and two Pheasants.

Unfortunately I had hit two Pigeons, one Magpie, one Pheasant and three Blackbirds.  The front of the van looked like an abattoir floor.  So it was with some trepidation I walked up to Bowdens stretch.  It was this stretch of course that saw me fall in on the way to the draw back in the summer. With all that had happened this morning that really would top the day.

I met up with Take That senior tour 2035 - the final come back tour (photo above) and we waited for the dismal turn out to increase.  Draw time came and went as Leos mobile rang with apologies from Nic he was going to be 5 minutes late having arrived without his rod bag!

Martin and Alan joined us and Brian puffed his way up the tow path. I drew for Nic peg 3.  Bugger you really wanted peg 1 on this stretch the absolute flier but or 2 or 3 would ease the pain.  Now for the rest of us.

Now before I go on I have defended Brian Shutler to the hilt in an effort to dispel this myth he is lucky.  But this past year .......well you have to see it to believe it; and patience is replaced by disbelief.  Hes right you still gotta a catch em, of course you have but when you sit on em week after week;  well you are  half way to the money.

We have developed a theory that Brian has doctored the bag along with Simon wit a "draw App"  we are convinced this app comes with fingerprint identification technology..  He denies of course.

Still back to the draw, we dive in I get 7 in the middle of nowhere as bloody usual and Brian well he dips in and comes up with.............yes you have guessed it Peg F'in 1..........Bloody unbelievable with Kev the Bread on 3 well its game over might as well go home now.

Sulky tantrum to one side I decided , I have got this far might as well have a look at my peg.

As always this stretch never offers much hope but today this looked awful.  It was possibly the worse draw this year so far and that takes some doing.  To my right Alan and on the end peg Steve Dean.

I set the whip up to fish of the first drop off and plumbing up I hooked a jack pike around 2 lb which took the plummet.  Fine start. new rig tied and plumbed up I did choppy line left and up slope and ledge rigs for opposite.  In addition a Drennan Ultralite with canal dart set at two feet.

Had a quick drink, pre match pee and a Toffee crisp.  With Mark not turning up I would have to re think buying a bag of chips for tea on the way home.  As I was relying on his cash for the bait.  Not impressed Team Russ!

Almost ready and Martin has no bait so I sell him Marks and we get under way.

20 minutes on the whip with Punch and nothing.  Nic a little red worm through the head and go over the choppy Line and a 3 oz Perch comes to hand followed by another.  And that my friends is it; from 10 O'clock till 10 to 2 I had nothing.  Two small Perch come after that. So 4 bites and 4 fish. Time to give the game up me thinks.........

Leo called and we all cheered at being released from the purgatory.  The moaning began and we started the weigh in. End peg Deano had just over the pound, I thought I might have pipped Alan to my right but a 6 oz Perch gave him 9 ounces in the last knocking s of the match.  So to the scores.

I managed 7. 5 oz for my 4 fish. Simon the Championship leader and ounce behind me. Martin one fish for half an ounce before Leo bucked the trend with a small skimmer and  bits for 1 lb 2 oz. a winning weight on the day; as the superstars on 1,2 and 3 couldn't top it.  Unsurprisingly Brian still managed a pick up for section default, in fact he equaled Steve Dean on cash as Steve didn't do super-pools Brian got the super pools as well.....................yes I am actually lost for words.

Top two only on pay out due to low attendance. So well done to Leo and Deano.

Still managed to pick up 11 points so I guess not too bad, but Brian and Simon stride on-wards and we are running out of matches. Both Brian and Simon could probably stay in doors for the rest of the season and still come first  and second.

See you next week.