Altona is not screaming from the rooftops about its 24-shot win over Mentone on the road in the Bowls Victoria metro premier division on Saturday, but the result could be a signal it is starting to find its groove at the halfway mark of the season.
With nine rounds down and nine to go, the under-performing A’s were desperate to start bridging the gap on the top four, and they made surprisingly light work of a usually difficult assignment on a synthetic surface at an unfamiliar green.
A’s skip Brett Dodd said it was a must-win game if his side was to be considered a genuine finals contender.
“We needed a win and any win is a good win when you’re playing away on the synthetic,” he said. “It keeps us in touch with the top two or three sides. I still don’t think we’ve gone anywhere near our best yet.
“We beat a side that has been around the relegation [zone]. Sure, it was on their home deck; it’s a hard and tough game, but I don’t think it’s anything to write home about.”
The lopsided winning margin was perhaps an injustice to the competitiveness of the home side.
Mentone was unfortunate to run into A’s skip Brett Foley and a rink that is at the peak of its powers.
Foley was in tremendous touch, winning 32-11 and providing the crucial buffer for his club.
“He was on fire,” Dodd said. “He came to me after the game and said, ‘That was the best game I’ve played for Altona’ … he is a class player, so that says something. The whole rink just fired – they were all brilliant.”
Brenton Coad held on to win by two shots, while Dodd claimed a one-shot victory.
All the late excitement was on the Brad Peck rink, with Peck picking up four shots on the last end for a 17-all draw.
The A’s have Clayton away on Saturday, followed by title contender Moonee Ponds and western rival Yarraville-Footscray at home.
“The next three weeks will tell our story,” Dodd said.
Yarraville-Footscray is the last remaining side without a win after losing to fellow struggler Burwood District. The Bulldogs managed to pick up one rink to ensure they remain second-last on for and against.
