In the penultimate home-and-away round of Murray Bowls Weekend Pennant, the Cobram Division 3 side went to Numurkah to compete in a cut-throat encounter.
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Cobram and Numurkah were outside the top four but within striking distance.
Things didn’t look good early for the Cobram rink skipped by Trevor Wood when he found himself down by 10 shots after 13 ends (10-20). Cobram then showed some spirit to narrow the margin to two shots on the 16th end (18-20).
Alas, that was where the run finished, and the Numurkah side, skipped by Roger Newman, regained control and took the rink points.
Wood 18 – Newman 35.
The Cobram rink skipped by Carol Doherty included Koby Madgwick (lead), Mick Stephens (2nd) and Kevin Saunders (3rd). They met Numurkah’s Viv Morris and team.
In a blitzkrieg beginning, Cobram led 25 to 4 after nine ends. In that period, Cobram scored two lots of six shots, four shots, and even an end with seven shots.
From end 10, Numurkah clawed their way back into the game, rarely allowing Cobram to win an end.
However, the damage had been done; the final rink scores showed Doherty 28 to Morris 20.
In the game between Cobram’s Phill O’Dwyer and Numurkah’s Gordon Gilmour nothing could split the sides on end 13 with the scores 12 apiece.
It was a dazzling display by O’Dwyer and his team of Geoff Williams (lead), Laurie Vinecombe (2nd) and Barry Walker (3rd) in the second half when they did not allow Gilmour’s crew to score another end.
With the final rink scores O’Dwyer 27 to Gilmour 12, Cobram took the overall points 73 to 67.
By winning this game, Cobram is now the maker of their destiny regarding finals. With one game to play, Cobram meets fourth-placed Jerilderie.
A repeat of this result would see Cobram displace Jerilderie.
Meanwhile, back at Cobram, the Division 4 side played Wunghnu.
Cobram’s Brenda Smethurst (skip), Adrian Lindsay (3rd), Dale Giblin (2nd) and Colin Rankin (lead) were shaded early by the Wunghnu side skipped by Rob Robison.
Even after end 16, when the home side was down 9-15, there was still a fight in the Tiger. Cobram won the next four ends and led 16-15 after the 20th end.
Wunghnu scored a single shot on the last end, and the points were shared.
Smethurst 16-Robison 16.
Cobram’s Andrew Rushby met Wunghnu’s, Damian Hommes. Rushby’s team was behind for most of the day but managed to gain the lead on the 18th end when they scored four shots, and the score was 17-16.
Cobram lacked the potency to go on with it, and Wunghnu scored on all three of the final ends.
Rushby 17-Hommes 22.
Overall, Wunghnu took the game, with Cobram at 33 and Wunghnu at 38.
With Cobram safely in the third spot on the table, they will need to do better when they take on second-placed Numurkah next week, leading into the finals.
Cobram Division 2 met Finley at Cobram in a finals-shaping fixture. Joy Mynard (lead), Ross Smith (2nd), Ron Dougherty (3rd) and Greg Dunn (skip) were too powerful for Finley’s Tony Turner and his team.
After 13 ends, Cobram was well in charge, winning 24-5.
Finley showed something in the second period, but it was all too late.
Dunn 27-Turner 16.
Cobram’s Ron Dean and his side met a strong Finley combination skipped by Ashleigh Haines.
Although going down, the Cobram boys held the deficit to a very coverable two shots.
Dean 17-Haines 19.
Cobram’s Luke Dunn (lead), Paul McKay (2nd), Kerry Baldacchino (3rd) and Marj McDonald (skip) cruised their way to the 14th end despite dropping five shots on the 5th end.
After 14 ends the Tigers were well up, 19-9.
Finley, skipped by William Smith, fought back valiantly over the final seven ends but just fell short.
McDonald 20-Smith 18.
The overall win of Cobram 64 to Finley 53 saw Cobram go to second on the ladder while Finley dropped to fourth.
Cobram will take on third-placed Barooga next week, with the winner taking second place and gaining the all-important double chance in the finals.
Cobram Division 5 sits on top of the ladder, well placed for finals.
Complacency was the enemy when they faced last-placed Nathalia.
Maintaining winning form is important leading into the finals series. Cobram’s Barb Turner and her team played Chris Briggs and his side.
In what was a close game for most of the day, Turner was on top, 18-17 with one end to play.
Briggs scored three shots on the final end to take the points.
Turner 18-Briggs 20.
Cobram’s Allan Temple skipped a rink against Nathalia’s Tim Cullen.
Temple was ably assisted by Carolyn Mathers (lead), John Taylor (2nd) and Tracey Emery (3rd) as they totally eclipsed the Nathalia team. After 10 ends Temple led 14 to 1.
Nathalia was never able to rebound from the dominant early stanza from Cobram.
The final rink scores were Temple 21 to Cullen 9.
Overall, Cobram won 39 to Nathalia 29.
Cobram Division 1 played host to second-placed Wunghnu.
Cobram Division 1, sitting fifth, is the only Cobram side mathematically not able to play in finals.
Although unable to play finals, Cobram can still shape the final four and that they did. Cobram’s Steve Tatnall (skip), Geoff Westmore (3rd), Allan McDonald (2nd) and Greg Thorne (lead) never looked in doubt when they beat Peter Revell and his team 20-12.
Ray Parks (skip), Luke Quinane (3rd), Andrew Giblin (2nd) and David Quinane (lead) had a dominant second half for Cobram against the Wunghnu rink skipped by Ray Hill, winning 23-18.
The Cobram rink of Keith Faulkner (lead), Haydn Smith (2nd), Garry Carter (3rd) and John Dixon (skip) outshone the Wunghnu rink skipped by Barry Cosgrove.
Dixon 19 to Cosgrove 15.
Overall, Cobram took the points, winning 62 to Wunghnu 42.
This result saw Wunghnu fall from second to fourth place.
Cobram will play Numurkah Golf next week, with Golf now sitting second.
In Midweek Pennant, played Tuesdays, Cobram sits top of the table in both Division 1 and Division 2 and are finals-bound.
The Neighbourhood Challenge continues each Tuesday night with bowls and tunes.
Shear Kaos remains at the top of the ladder with another two wins.
The Little Pestie team won the wine and chocolates with two big wins in the evening.
The jackpot did not go off and is building.
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