James Murphy
MOUNT Gambier RSL claimed the Open Pennant Division 1 season honours after a tough outing against cross-town rival Mount Gambier on Saturday.
RSL’s Red team finished as minor premier and booked itself the first ticket into the Division 1 decider with a semi-final win over Mount Gambier Red a couple of weeks ago.
Mount Gambier Red then defeated Millicent in the preliminary final and with it set up a home decider under the roof at the Bob Cranwell Centre.
In the end it came down to the second-to-last end to decide the victors, with Michael Fox’s rink earning a last-minute victory to wrap up the day with two winning rinks and the overall honours.
Robert Corner played in that rink and said his team knew it would be in for a challenge.
“We thought it was going to be a hard slog, playing Mount Gambier at their home ground,” he told The Border Watch.
“Having said that, the green there is great to play on.
“It is a nice speed and what they call a true green – the bowl does what it is supposed to do.”
After what Corner described as an up and down competition on two rinks, the game hung in the balance throughout.
Graham Ellis’ rink had an impressive start and after the sixth end led 17-1.
From there they were able to keep Mount Gambier at arm’s length and wrapped up the 25 ends with a 31-18 shot victory.
However, the other two rinks kept spectators on the edge of their seats.
Chris Waugh’s four found itself in trouble at 16-7 after 12 ends, but over the next 10 ends managed to claw its way back into the match.
After the 22nd end scores were level on 23-all.
Unfortunately, the Mount Gambier rink, skippered by Brad Errock, stepped up and scored four shots over the last three ends to claim a 28-23 shot win.
The damage could have been worse, with Mount Gambier holding five shots on the final end.
However, Waugh used his last bowl to great affect and slotted it in to only drop one shot.
That left just Fox’s rink to finish, with plenty of spectators gathered to see the final end unfold.
After an even tussle throughout the day, the lead had traded hands several times.
“On our rink it was touch and go the whole time,” Corner said.
“We got about seven shots up at one stage and then they played some good bowls and they got about seven or eight shots up.
“It was pretty even.”
With two ends left to play, Mount Gambier led 24-19 and RSL was only leading by a few shots overall.
However, on the 24th end RSL held on to score a six to push in front by one.
“The Mount Gambier skipper (Greg Carpenter) on his last bowl went through a small gap between the kitty and the shot bowl and ran past by about two and a half feet and went down six – he only just missed,” Corner said.
“That made it eight or nine up (overall) I think.
A four to RSL Red on the last end wrapped things up for the rink and Fox’s four claimed a 29-24 shot victory.
With it came the overall win, with the final scores 83/10 to 70/2.
In other Divisions Naracoorte RSL claimed the Division 2 honours over Millicent Red, while Port MacDonnell Red was too strong for Mount Gambier RSL Red in Division 3 South.
Division 3 North was won by Frances over Kingston Red.
