LAKE Boga have provided reigning premiers Murray Downs with an early reality check, defeating the Rams by just one-shot in the highlight of round 3 of the MVPA Saturday pennant competition.
Despite winning just one rink for the afternoon, Lake Boga outscored their more fancied rivals, with the 61-60 win proving an early candidate for upset of the season.
The combination of Daniel Kelly, Anthony Shields, Ron ‘Bones’ Smith and Gregery Clifford were the difference, with the quartet’s eight-shot victory over John Caldwell’s team cancelling out the wins by Murray Downs on the other two rinks.
Brian Lehmann’s team was the best for the Rams as they claimed a four-shot win over a determined Ken Hamill, while Josh Thornton returned from Western Australia for his first match of the pennant season but could muster only a three-shot victory over a gallant Lake Boga outfit led by Peter Philp.
The win saw Lake Boga climb into the top four for the first time this season, replacing Swan Hill, who were no match for Moulamein on the weekend.
The 82-59 win by Moulamein was enough for them to leapfrog Murray Downs into second on the MVPA Division 1 ladder and will ensure all eyes will be on this Saturday’s upcoming top-of-the-ladder clash with Racecourse.
It’s the second week in a row that the combination of Dennis Compton, Mark Evans, Darren Arthur and Neville Graham have led Moulamein to victory, with the quartet recording a 22-shot win over Glenn Evans’ Swan Hill side.
While Compton’s comfortable win ensured Moulamein secured the six points, Swan Hill didn’t walk away empty-handed, with Gary McGrath’s team claiming a three-shot win over Martin Stephens’ side 26-23, with Moulamein’s Garry Armstrong rounding out the fixture with a 25-21 win over Brian Richardson’s team.
The final fixture of round 3 saw ladder leaders Racecourse dominate Nyah District from start to finish, with last year’s grand finalists recording a commanding 69-shot victory over last year’s wooden spooners.
Racecourse walked away with all 12 points to move two points clear of Moulamein on top of the Division 1 ladder ahead of their highly anticipated clash this Saturday.
Former Demon Michael Holyoak did the bulk of the damage to his old side, defeating Rex Howard’s combination 41-8, while Neville Smith and his partners claimed a 25-shot win over Alexander Everitt, Norm Smith defeating Bryan Smith by 11-shots to round out the victory.
