Pennant Season 2019-2020 Round 15
PENNANT REPORT – ROUND 15 – 15 FEB 2020-02-16
SATURDAY
With only one of the four weekend sides recording a win, the mood in the Pakenham clubrooms on Saturday evening was in keeping with the weather which had been gloomy with light drizzle for most of the afternoon – bizarrely, on a day which had been almost tropical, the “scotch mist” gave Pakenham’s greens the appearance of being coated with a light dusting of frost.
The First Division side played host to Mulgrave Country Club. Unfortunately, despite having one dominant rink, the Lions seemed to be chasing their opponents all afternoon and were behind at all of the important milestones. At 72/91, they were eventually beaten by 19 shots and collected only two Pennant points. Best rink with 25/17 was Geoff (Voota) Van Vugt (S), Glenn (Google) Bainbridge (3), Dave Wood (2) and Peter (Hacksaw) Bott (L).
The Ones retain third spot on the ladder but are now 30 points behind Warburton but only five ahead of Mulgrave and eight up on Beaumaris, with Croydon seemingly untouchable on top. With only 13 points covering third to sixth, Pakenham must win all of its remaining games if it is to be guaranteed a place in the finals; hopefully, some of that winning pride and arrogance can be regained in the practice match on Thursday night! Round 16 will be away on grass at Cheltenham.
Pakenham Two (Div 2) gave it a real crack at Cranbourne, where they met a side strengthened by the return of a few of its former Div 1 players. They had three rinks up after 20 ends and were only four shots in arrears at the half way mark; however the game slipped away from them after the break and they eventually lost by 27 shots, 66/93. Best rink with 21/18 was Peter Ellis (S), Keith (Emmsy) Emms (3), Terry O’Toole (2) and Val Moore (L).
The Twos are in ninth spot and face the very real prospect of relegation. They will be at home to Mordialloc (fourth) next round. As is the case with most of their opponents this season they will be up against that club’s number one side.
This season’s roller coaster ride of highs and lows continued for Pakenham Three (Div 4) at Berwick. They were never in the hunt on the wet grass and were comprehensively beaten 101/62 and came home with zero Pennant points. Although the BowlsVic ladder might indicate otherwise (it was not up to date at the time of writing) the Threes have dropped from fifth to sixth spot behind Mulgrave and are just two points clear of Beaumaris. With three rounds to go, it is mathematically possible but most unlikely that they will make the four. They are at home to Cranbourne (third) next round.
Pakenham Four (Div 5) raised the flag for the Lions with a good win at home against Narre Warren. Theirs was a tight game all afternoon – they were 18 all after 20 ends, all square, 43 all, at the half way mark and at the start of the business ends, with only one shot the difference (in Pakenham’s favour) it was any one’s game. However the Lions wanted it more and eventually got three rinks up for an overall 88/79 win. Best rink with 30/21 was Eric Peterson (S), Craig Cameron (3), Ray Wood (2) and Helen Wright (L). Now in ninth spot, they face a tough assignment next round, away against clear ladder leaders, the Dandenong Club.
MIDWEEK
At eighth on the ladder, Pakenham one (Div 1) had a hard task ahead of them at Clayton last Tuesday – their opponents were travelling very well and with 10 wins from 13 outings sat proudly at the top of the ladder. The locals jumped to an early lead, however by the half way mark they still did not have a strangle hold on the game. The Lions came back hard after the break and with one rink up and one all square were only five shots behind at the start of the last 15 ends. The Cobras then seemed to find another gear and the Lions eventually went down on all rinks with the overall score at 48/63.
As a result of the loss the Ones dropped to ninth spot, equal on points with Brighton (eighth) but behind on percentage. They will be at home to Armadale (second) next round.
Thanks to an outstanding performance by one rink and close results on the other two, Pakenham Two (Div 2) chalked up a spirited win at home against Burden Park. With two up and one down they established an early lead but by the half way mark, with two rinks dropping behind, that lead had been reduced to just four shots. At the commencement of the business ends the Lions were in still in front but only by one shot; however all three rinks outscored their opponents in the run home and at 67/57 they won overall by 10 shots. Best rink with 29/11 was John (Giovanni) Donazzan (S), Ave Jones (3), Reg (Wombat) Mattingly (2) and Vince Bevilacqua (L).
Despite the win the Twos are still in tenth spot. In common with many other Pakenham sides they face a tough run home – next round they will be away against ladder leaders, The Dandenong Club.
In what was almost a battle of the cellar dwellers, Pakenham Three (eighth) were away at Willow Lodge (ninth). As might have been expected, there was never much in that game but the locals were always in front and eventually won a low scoring affair by 56 shots to 45. Best Pakenham rink with 17/16 was Ray Illing (S), Eric Peterson (3), Peter Jones (2) and John Barlow (L). That rink was behind all day but outscored their opponents 9/1 over the last five ends to snatch the win by a single shot!
The Threes remain in eighth spot. They face Narre Warren (second) at home next round.
The Six-A-Side Pakenham Four demonstrated again that if they had been able to field a team for every round this season, they may well have been high up on the leader board, rather than sitting at the bottom. Playing at home against Clayton, a side which is in the top four, they more than matched it with their opponents and held the lead at all the major milestones, including the one which really counts (i.e. at the end of play) winning both rinks with an overall score of 40/31. Best rink with 20/15 was Ian Kitt (S), Helen Wright (2) and Faye Osborne (L). They will be away at Burden Park next round.
HI-LO
The winner for round 15 was Terry O’Toole with number 26.
Des Leigh
