NEXT week's final leg of the North East Drennan League couldn't be more equally balanced with a mere one point separating three super teams: Shimano Quaker, Newman Scott and Daiwa Cleveland Angling Centre.

The penultimate fixture staged on the lower Tees around Yarm resulted in Shimano Quaker winning to hold pole position.

Fishing-wise it was a hard day but with the sheer head of bream now in the Tees it was always going to be a few slabs that decided the individuals.

Adjoining pegs below the paddock produced the top two.

Steve Bell of North Ormesby Institute on 166 feeder fished worm down the middle tempting five bream for 17.5.0.

It was the same tactics downstream for Shotton's Ray Hughes with 4 for 14.12.0.

Teams on the day: 1 Shimano Quaker 54; 2 Yarm 48; 3 Newman Scott 45.

Overall: 1 Shimano Quaker 241; jt 2 Newman Scott & Daiwa Cleveland Angling Centre 240; 4 Yarm 214.

The middle reaches of the Tees at Over Dinsdale were low and clear for the NYSD Federation Norman Dunne Memorial.

Darlington's Barry Stephenson lifted the trophy weighing in 21.5.0. On peg 58, upstream of the golf house, float fished worm brought nine chub.

Red hot Darlington rod Steve Chantry delivered again on the silver fish. On peg eight at Girsby bend, waggler fishing single caster over caster and hemp feed he conjured up 90 roach for 20.14.0 and but for persistent pike trouble would have won.

Next, Haughton's Micky Turner put together a lovely dace bag of 15.14.0 from the famous wire netting peg 18. Yarm youngster Josh Newton worked hard to win Thornaby AA's Johnny Stubbs Memorial on a patchy lower Tees at Bowesfield.

With bream refusing to feed in numbers the talented new Daiwa Cleveland recruit alternated pole and whip with caster accumulating over 100 small roach, rudd and dace for 5.13.0.

Over on the Swale at Skipton the third round of the North Central League was won by Ripon's Keith Lamb who bagged 22.15.0. Downstream of Skipton Bridge, bomb and corn tamed seven quality chub to aid Ripon to victory on the day and open up a formidable 30-point lead overall.

Boroughbridge's Eddie McEvoy, two above the winner, picked up a dozen small chub to bomb and meat for 12.11.0.

Teams on the day: 1 Ripon 65 pts; 2 Thirsk 62; 3 Harrogate 57. League to date: 1 Ripon 217; 2 Thirsk 187; 3 Harrogate 168; 4 Knaresborough 166.

Idle & Thackley Open Swale - Swainby: 1 D Brown (Washington) 7.7.0; 2 M Prudhoe (RSPS) 4.15.0; 3 M Balderstone (Bradford) 4.2.0.

Fixtures: TOMORROW: RSPS Alan Howe Memorial Lower Swale Championships - Asenby to Myton. 01642/899288.

Woodland Lakes Open Oaks Sessay SUNDAY: NE Drennan League (6) Woodland Lakes Northallerton & DAC AA Sheldon Cup Swale - Scruton Robert Haggie Memorial Open Upper Swale - Richmond to Gt Langton Calder League (3) Brighouse Oaks Sessay