On Saturday Monbulk 1 travelled to unfamiliar territory in Cranbourne and were no match for the home team.
Tim Stapleton’s rink found it difficult to score early and trailed by 11 shots after nine ends. They were able to win the majority of ends in the back half of the game, but dropped a couple of multiples to lose by 15 shots, nine to 24.
Eric Markham’s rink started well and were five shots in front after two ends. They then dropped five shots on the next end and after six ends scores were tied. However, they could not stay with their opponents and lost by 14 shots, 13 to 27.
Jim Bras’ rink were only one shot down after seven ends, but lost five of the next six ends to be ten shots down. They more than matched their opponents in the last eight ends, but went down by seven shots, 15 to 22.
Brian Smith’s rink was three shots in front after three ends, but were then overwhelmed to lose by 20 shots, 17 to 37. Monbulk lost the overall by 56 shots, 54 to 110.
Monbulk 2 played at home against Packenham in a game they were expected to win to maintain their second position on the ladder, but things did not go according to plan.
Eric Furby’s rink picked up five shots on the third end to propel them into the game and by the fourteenth end were eight shots in front. However, their opponents picked up seven shots in four ends to move within a shot. The Monbulk rink were able to hang on in the last three ends to win by the barest margin, 20 to 19.
Graeme Goller’s rink had a close tussle throughout their game with only a few shots separating the teams for the most part of the match. Goller’s rink won four ends in a row to lead by the greatest margin between the teams of three shots after the tenth end. They then lost five of the next six ends to trail by one shot coming into the last end. They were able to rise to the occasion picking up three shots to win by two shots, 16 to 14.
Alan Hamilton’s rink was all square after 12 ends and then picked up five shots in the next two ends. They were able to maintain this lead and won by six shots, 19 to 13.
Jim Anderson’s rink started slowly and were 10 shots down after four ends and had not troubled the scorers. They continued to battle away and by the sixteenth end had reduced the margin to eight shots. They then won only one more end to lose by 14 shots, 14 to 28.
Even though Monbulk won on three rinks they lost the overall by five shots, 59 to 64 and have dropped to third position on the ladder.
Monbulk 3 played Yarra Junction at home in what turned out to be a close contest. Graham Mayo’s rink grabbed the ascendancy early and led by 12 shots after eight ends. They then lost the next three ends, but prevailed at the finish winning by 10 shots, 18 to eight. Alan Brooke’s rink was just four shots behind with five ends to play, but won only one more end to lose by 12 shots, nine to 21. This meant Monbulk lost the overall by two shots, 27 to 29.
