IT was back to the serious business of points matches for Diss Angling Club and Andrew Mears kicked off the new year in positive form with a win on a very hard day on the Mere in Diss.

IT was back to the serious business of points matches for Diss Angling Club and Andrew Mears kicked off the new year in positive form with a win on a very hard day on the Mere in Diss.

Drawing a peg with the wind on his back Mears had a comfortable day on peg 15 catching all roach on the pole.

The ice covering the Mere reduced the weights being caught and with the large fish not feeding in any numbers it was surprising when Mears finished the day with 9lb 7�oz.

Second place went to George Wilby with another all-roach bag. Wilby ended the day with a total of 7lb 9oz. Third place went to Karl Hales with 6lb 9oz.

Over the Christmas period the second match in the pike dead-bait cup series was fished at Hoxne.

Seven anglers braved the cold day and with over 300 meters of river being fished it was a major surprise to all that just one fish graced the banks.

What was even more shocking, this fish was taken just two minutes into the match by Barry Day and give Barry six points for the fish which weighed 10lb 2oz. With no result due to flooding on the first match it's still anybody's cup.