By Jack Rollings
Monbulk 1 played away against Lilydale 2 in round 4. The Lilydale top side was also playing
on the same green. It made for a loud afternoon, sometimes sounding more like a battle
between coarse pirate groups rather than a game of bowls. With the top four spots very tight
on the ladder, both sides were playing for serious rewards and trying to avoid a ladder
demotion.
Jim Bras’ team led all day. By halfway they were 10 shots up and still held that margin by the
fourteenth end. In the run home Lilydale won more of the mat and took a 5 shotter off
Monbulk, to reduce the margin to a single shot. Monbulk steadied on the final two ends and
won the rink 25 shots to 21.
Tony French’s team also led all day. They won thirteen ends, including a couple of solid 3
shotters, and they didn’t give away any score higher than a double. Monbulk led by 10 shots
after the twelfth end. Lilydale returned fire in the back half to get within 4 shots. But Monbulk
won the last three ends with 6 shots to win the rink 22 shots to 12.
Eric Markham’s team came up against the great John Snell, with his team of star bowlers,
and it was a rude awakening. After the fifth end Monbulk was 0, Lilydale was 13. Monbulk
then won five ends in a row, all with singles, but Lilydale retaliated with a 4 shotter and those
wins disappeared. In total Monbulk won nine ends but dropped six clangers worth 23 shots.
They lost the rink 14 shots to 30.
Brian Smith’s team also won nine ends and also dropped six clangers. Monbulk was trailing
by 10 shots after the seventh end. They managed to claw back some of that damage in the
back half to reduce the margin to 6 shots with four ends to go. But Lilydale had a stronger
finish and took their lead again out to 10 shots. Monbulk lost the rink 15 shots to 25.
Overall Monbulk 1 lost 76 shots to 88, with two rinks up. The ladder is incomplete, but
Monbulk has definitely dropped out of the top four. Next weekend they play at home against
Heathmont who are second on the ladder. Monbulk will need every bit of their home ground
advantage to take the points.
Monbulk 2 played at home against Cockatoo.
Graeme Seymour’s team won thirteen ends including three 3 shotters. But the front end was
very close and by halfway, they were down by a single shot. After the break Monbulk came
back stronger, only dropping two minor scores and building a substantial lead. Monbulk won
the rink 22 shots to 12.
Mike Harris’ team started slowly and were down by 10 shots after the seventh end. They
were able to win the mat during the middle of the game and then finished with a 3 shotter,
but Cockatoo proved too strong over the twenty-one ends. Monbulk lost the rink 12 shots to
20.
Peter Koomen’s team came up against a strong Cockatoo outfit and struggled to win seven
ends for the afternoon. Fifteen shots were lost in clangers, while winning one 3 shotter.
Monbulk lost the rink 10 shots to 29.
Peter Lee’s team provided the drama for the day. They maintained the lead from the fourth
end, but, going into the seventeenth end, the margin was only 4 shots. The composite board
was then in Cockatoo’s favour and it looked like a big ask of this team when all the other
rinks had finished. Pulling out all the stops, they managed to win a few big ends. Going into
the last end, Monbulk needed 3 shots to take the lead on the composite board. They did
better than that, they picked up a 4 shotter. Monbulk won the rink 32 shots to 13. But most
importantly they won the round 76 shots to 74 with two rinks up. Monbulk 2 has at last
recorded a win.
