Thrilling win to dirty day
Garfield bowlers experienced the full range of results from a thrilling one-shot win to “a dirty day” in round five of West Gippsland Bowls Division this week.
Division two: Garfield defeated Newborough (2) 87/86.
Despite a huge tussle against a strong opponent at home - and only winning one rink Garfield snuck home with a one-shot overall win.
The team of Frank Prins, Rod James, Bob Lamport and skip Peter Lieshout had the better of the first half, leading comfortably at the break. But the break changes everything, and the opposition fought back. Garfield lost 20/27.
Steve Whyte’s team of Gary Helmore, Gary Payne and Steve Bassed were in charge all day, ending with a match-winning 27/14.
The team of Stuart Gemmill, Joe Lenders and Alan White, skipped by Tom Cleary, fought a close battle all day, losing by four shots, 23/27.
Les Pumphrey, Ron Saunders, John Majkut and skip Shane Oliver had a titanic fight. The scores were level three times during the game, but unfortunately, they went down by just one shot, 17/18. Any win is a good win. Division four: Garfield (2) lost to Thorpdale 75/132.
Garfield was at Thorpdale to play on their very heavy grass after some serious overnight rain. They were unable to handle the heavy going and lost on all rinks.
The team of Lex Taylor, Colin Mills, Malcom Newham and skip Graeme Burton struggled all day, eventually losing 17/25.
Adrian Helmuth, Jan Johnson, Gordon Moxey and skip Wes Goodman were down by 11 shots at the break. While they kept themselves in it in the second half, they finished up losing 13/26.
Fill-in skip Barry Johnson’s team of Phil Humphries, Brian Fox and Ray Biffin were down by 22 shots at the break. However, they showed good spirit and fought hard in the second half to “only” lose by 12 shots, 23/35.
The best performing team of the day was that of Alan Wilson, Cliff Stevens, Don Knight and skip Kevin Donald, who kept themselves in the game all day. They went down 20/24.
In the words of manager Gordon Moxey, “a dirty day, best forgotten”.
Division six: Garfield (3) drew Drouin (4) 45/45.
Garfield played away at Drouin, also on grass.
The team of Bev Sainsbery, Keith Sainsbery, Isabel Deane and skip Judy Pocklington were down early but fought back well, to be drawn 25-all with two ends to go. Unfortunately, the game ended with a 25/27 loss.
The other team of Joe Deane, Ken Newton, Helene Newton and skip Damian Brick did the complete opposite; they led early and the opposition came back to be drawn 18-all with two ends to go. However, they managed to pick up the two shots their comrades had lost, and the match finished in an overall draw.
It was a good result against the ladder leaders Drouin who had won all four of their previous games.
Division three: Garfield defeated Drouin (2) 76/45.
The team visited Drouin and played on their lovely grass green. They bounced back after the previous week’s little hiccup to come away with a full three rinks win.
Judy Pocklington’s team, consisting of Damian Brick, Sue Stansfield and Jill Rouse, jumped out to a six-shot lead in the first two ends. The maintained the margin to win 18/11.
Isabel Deane’s team of Adrian Helmuth, John Majkut and Lex Taylor went the other route to the same destination. They started slowly, dropping seven shots in the early going, but fought back well to win 26/20.
The third rink, consisting of Malcolm Newham, Bob Lamport, Jan Johnson and skip Maureen Lamport, were in command all day, finishing with a strong 32/14 win.