GOLDEN Square has opened up a 20-point buffer inside the Bendigo Bowls Division pennant top four following an all-rinks win over South Bendigo on Saturday.
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And coupled with Kangaroo Flat failing to take any points from its game against Eaglehawk, Square is now in the box seat to finish fourth, although, it still has a tough last two games to come.
Golden Square picked up the maximum 18 points in its 108-83 win over South Bendigo.
While the final margin was 25 shots, two of the contests went down to the wire, with Square’s Daryl Cheeseman and Garri Conforti only winning by one.
However, it was much more comfortable for the Square rinks of Tas Wallis (+12) and Frank Thomas (+11).
Saturday was Square’s first all-rinks win since round 11 of the 2012-13 season against Strathfieldsaye – and it couldn’t have come at a better time after starting the day just two points inside the top four - while South Bendigo’s losing streak extends to nine.
• Eaglehawk white-washed Kangaroo Flat in a 37-shot hiding at home.
The Hawks prevailed 105-68 in what was a match in which brothers Simon (Eaglehawk) and Dean (Kangaroo Flat) Carter faced off against each other.
And it was Simon who has bragging rights after his rink beat Dean’s – which also features their father, John – 25-14.
In a positive for the Hawks, Tony Ellis’ rink bounced back from consecutive losses with a commanding 30-11 win over Geoff Boyd, while Frank Byrne (+4) and Ken Rusbridge (+3) got up in close tussles for the home side.
• Inglewood wasn’t far off recording one of the upsets of the season, falling just seven short at home of ladder-leader Bendigo East.
East held on to win 93-86, with both teams winning two rinks apiece.
Brad Marron (+21) and the competition’s leading skipper Brad Holland (+4) earned the points for East, while Lindsay Kelly (+2) and Robbie Day (+16) were victorious for Inglewood.
Day’s upset 29-13 win over Marc Smith lifted his rink off the bottom of the skipper’s ladder.
• Bendigo’s winning streak reached nine in a row with its 109-87 victory on the road at Castlemaine.
Tim Arnold’s rink hit back for Bendigo from a slump with a 36-14 win over Rick Park, while Bendigo’s Andrew Brown and the Maine’s Rod Phillips couldn’t be split as they tied 25-all.
ROUND 12 LADDER:
Bendigo East – 165/206
Bendigo - 161/158
Eaglehawk – 142/175
Golden Square – 113/0
Kangaroo Flat – 93/14
Castlemaine – 86/-128
Inglewood – 62/-176
South Bendigo – 42/-249