Reigning premier Lakes Entrance returned from a bye in style in round 13 of the Gippsland Bowls Region midweek pennant on Tuesday, moving to second on the ladder at the expense of Sale, who dropped to third.
Playing at home, Lakes Entrance clean swept Sale 62–52, ensuring a top-two finish, with Sale having a bye in the final round.
The easiest winners were Daniel Roberts, Sharon Hall, Margaret Brandhoj and Joanne Martin, who prevailed 23–17.
The other two rinks went down to the final end, with Lakes winners Mike McKay, Jennifer Dowie, Jim Northe and Kevin Dowie
edging home 20–18, while Wallace Mason, Jack Light, Bill Rowley and Kevin Brown claimed a tight 19–17 victory.
There were mixed results in division two, highlighted by ladder leader Lakes Entrance 2 suffering just its second loss of the season.
The 63–57 defeat in the away fixture against Bairnsdale 3 saw Lakes Entrance 2 slip to second on the ladder. More frustrating was the fact they won two of the three rinks but were unable to close out the match.
Winners for Lakes Entrance 2 were David Hocking, Jacinta Wilson, Peter Spark and Samuel Berlingeri (23–17), along with Lynton Rathjen, Stanley Short, Kevin Watson and Rob Norder (21–18).
Fourth-placed Lakes Entrance 3 kept its finals hopes alive with an emphatic home victory over Howitt Park, 78–40. They will need a big performance against ladder leader Paynesville in next week’s final round to secure a finals berth.
Standout performers were Dawn Irwin, Joseph Hales, Charles Lesiw and Greg Bertram, who were sensational 41–8 winners, well supported by Treen Norder, Christine Piatek, Charlie Abela and Ian Morris (25–14).
There was another clean sweep for division three ladder leader Lakes Entrance 4, outclassing Howitt Park 57–33.
Winning combinations for Lakes Entrance 4 were Max Towan, Ernie Smith, Margo Short and Rhonda O’Neill (27–17), and Ian Gray, Suzanne Light, Stephen Adams and Ross Irvine (30–16).
Meanwhile, Paynesville 3 made light work of Lakes Entrance 5, recording a convincing 60–20 home victory.
In last week’s action, both Lakes Entrance sides were successful in division two, highlighted by Lakes Entrance 3’s emphatic 82–42 home win over Bairnsdale Golf.
Irwin, Hales, Lesiw and Bertram (32–9), along with Julie Rowe, Frank Detering, Bill Gilbert and Peter Howie (32–13), were among the winners.
Lakes Entrance 2 travelled to Bairnsdale and, despite not being at its best, scraped home with a 52–49 win over Howitt Park. The efforts of Hocking, Wilson, Spark and Berlingeri in a 25–12 rink victory proved decisive.
For the first time this season, both Lakes Entrance sides in division three recorded wins, highlighted by Lakes Entrance 5 breaking through for its first victory of the campaign with a 45–33 home win over Howitt Park.
The dominant performance of Jeanette Smith, Lesley Pearce, Dianne Scott and Faye Cannizzaro, who won 25–10, proved the difference.
Lakes Entrance 4 also clean swept Bairnsdale in an away fixture, winning 47–30.
Winning combinations were Towan, Smith, Margo Short and O’Neill (25–9), along with Gray, Mervyn Pratt, Ian Morris and Irvine (22–21).
NEXT WEEK
Round 14, Tuesday, February 3
Division one: Lindenow v Lakes Entrance.
Division two east: Lakes Entrance 2 v Orbost; Paynesville v Lakes Entrance 3.
Division three east: Lakes Entrance 5 v Lakes Entrance 4.
