LAWN BOWLS: Momentum back on side of reigning premier South Bendigo

Two weeks ago the Diggers were under the pump having lost four games in a row and sitting a precarious 17 points outside the top four.

Two weeks later though on the back of two wins against sides that were above them on the ladder - Kangaroo Flat (20 shots) and Bendigo East (6) - the Diggers have regained their spark and have climbed their way back into the four entering the last three rounds of the season.

"It has been a lot better for us these past two games; we've got players regaining form and it's amazing what having a win can do for the confidence of the group," South Bendigo coach Brad Holland said on Thursday.

"We've still got a bit of ground to make up to catch the top two sides (Moama and Eaglehawk), but we're heading in the right direction."

The Diggers should make it three in a row and tighten their grip on a spot in the top four when they host Inglewood on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Holland says he is proud of his recognition from earlier this season in being named Bowls Australia's Coach of the Year for 2021.

Holland's Bowls Australia accolade follows his selection as Bowls Victoria's Club Coach of the Year in May last year.

Since joining the Diggers in May of 2016 when the club was coming off the weekend pennant wooden spoon, the Diggers have played off in three weekend pennant division one grand finals, won two of them and last year narrowly missed out on winning the state pennant title.

READ MORE - South gets its man with Holland to coach in recruiting coup

"To get the Victorian award just under 12 months ago was fantastic and something I was surprised by, so to get the Australian award is amazing," Holland said.

"It has been great to witness the development of a lot of our players through this six-year period where we're not just competitive in the top division, but we're competitive in most of the grades we're playing in.

"Everyone is enjoying their bowls and that's the main thing."

When the Diggers won the first of their back-to-back flags in 2020 - a nine-shot win over Holland's former team Bendigo East - it ended a 26-year premiership drought for the club.

South Bendigo v Inglewood.

Bendigo v Moama.

Eaglehawk v Bendigo East.

Golden Square v Kangaroo Flat.

Tips - South Bendigo, Moama, Eaglehawk, Kangaroo Flat.

ROUND 1

Eaglehawk 88 def South Bendigo 53

Castlemaine 90 def Bendigo East 63

Moama 84 def Kangaroo Flat 57

Golden Square 70 def Bendigo 65

Inglewood bye

ROUND 2

South Bendigo 90 def Golden Square 62

Kangaroo Flat 76 def Bendigo East 69

Inglewood 74 def Castlemaine 71

Moama 80 tied Eaglehawk 80

Bendigo bye

ROUND 3

Inglewood 89 def Kangaroo Flat 64

Moama 81 def Bendigo East 69

Eaglehawk 85 def Golden Square 74

Castlemaine 76 def Bendigo 72

South Bendigo bye

ROUND 4

South Bendigo 96 def Castlemaine 59

Kangaroo Flat 95 def Bendigo 58

Bendigo East 88 def Inglewood 66

Moama 78 def Golden Square 67

Eaglehawk bye

ROUND 5

Eaglehawk 96 def Castlemaine 65

Bendigo East 91 def Bendigo 69

Moama 85 def Inglewood 76

Kangaroo Flat 80 def South Bendigo 76

Golden Square bye

ROUND 6

Golden Square 99 def Castlemaine 70

Inglewood 87 def Bendigo 73

Kangaroo Flat 78 def Eaglehawk 65

South Bendigo 84 def Bendigo East 76

Moama bye

ROUND 7

Moama 70 def Bendigo 39

Bendigo East 95 def Eaglehawk 70

South Bendigo 82 def Inglewood 66

Golden Square 82 def Kangaroo Flat 80

Castlemaine bye

ROUND 8

Moama 103 def Castlemaine 57

Bendigo East 100 def Golden Square 60

Eaglehawk 94 def Inglewood 56

South Bendigo 86 def Bendigo 70

Kangaroo Flat bye

ROUND 9

Eaglehawk 90 def Bendigo 51

Kangaroo Flat 94 def Castlemaine 79

Golden Square 84 def Inglewood 75

Moama 75 def South Bendigo 67

Bendigo East bye

ROUND 10

Eaglehawk 83 def South Bendigo 66

Kangaroo Flat 86 def Moama 78

Castlemaine 85 def Bendigo East 79

Bendigo 77 def Golden Square 72

Inglewood bye

ROUND 11

Inglewood 91 def Castlemaine 67

Golden Square 93 def South Bendigo 76

Moama 72 def Eaglehawk 69

Bendigo East 80 def Kangaroo Flat 78

Bendigo bye

ROUND 12

Moama 97 def Bendigo East 53

Kangaroo Flat 93 def Inglewood 75

Bendigo 80 def Castlemaine 63

Eaglehawk 81 def Golden Square 65

South Bendigo bye

ROUND 13

Bendigo East 100 def Inglewood 67

Kangaroo Flat 86 def Bendigo 56

Moama 89 def Golden Square 80

Castlemaine 81 def South Bendigo 74

Eaglehawk bye

ROUND 14

Eaglehawk 90 def Castlemaine 49

South Bendigo 83 def Kangaroo Flat 63

Moama 87 def Inglewood 75

Bendigo 72 def Bendigo East 69

Golden Square bye

ROUND 15

Inglewood 78 def Bendigo 70

Eaglehawk 82 def Kangaroo Flat 76

South Bendigo 76 def Bendigo East 70

Golden Square 77 def Castlemaine 75

Moama bye

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