1.   Any Conservative you care to converse with will predict a close contest at the next election.

2.   As the scores were read out like a football draw it became clear that it would be a close contest.

3.   The race was a close contest between two evenly matched crews.

4.   It is clear that the election will be a close contest.

5.   It is still a close contest between two leading opposition parties.

6.   The latest opinion polls are predicting a very close contest.

7.   Although it is considered a close contest, the primary race may well prove to be the easy part.

8.   An incumbent in the Bronx, Edward Griffith, was also in a close contest, against Diane Gordon.

9.   Ballots are still being counted in the excruciatingly close contest between Roy Goodman, a Republican state senator for three decades, and Liz Krueger, his Democratic challenger.

10.   Because all the games are on TV of some kind, to update a close contest elsewhere could be an invitation to change channels.