Shepparton Park and Mooroopna played out a classic on Saturday afternoon.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
We may only be two rounds in, but a divide is already starting to form in the Goulburn Valley Playing Area Allan Matheson Shield ladder.
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Saturday saw sides armour up for battle, and after some close results - and some not so tight - the wheat is separating from the chaff in the weekend pennant top division.
Shepparton Park’s triumph over Mooroopna can certainly be placed in the former category.
The Parkers hosted the Cats in a gripping affair that toed and froed across all four rinks, but when the last bowl settled, Park had clinched a 14-77 to 4-76 win to hold post in third position.
And boy were they made to work for it.
Bruce Robson’s first Mooroopna rink earned a five shot win over Raymond Hill, but Shane Walsh’s four edged out a 19-13 result in the second set of ends for Park.
That proved to be crucial, as the third and fourth rinks were eventual eight shot swings either way - but despite the match loss, Mooroopna’s four rink points keeps it hovering in fifth.
Tallygaroopna leads the pack after thumping Tatura-Hill Top 16-85 to 2-65 away from home.
The Bulldogs were able to keep pace with the Redlegs for much of Saturday’s affair, but when it came to the crunch, star skip David Daws produced the goods with a 28-10 blitz over Josh Warren’s four.
Another close clash arrived in the form of Shepparton Golf versus East Shepparton.
The heavily favoured Golfers were pushed all the way by a gallant East unit, but were ultimately too strong with a 14-84 to 4-80 victory to sing about by day’s end.
And in Saturday’s other fixture, Euroa made a surprise charge into the top four thanks to an 18-98 to 0-67 shellacking of Seymour VRI.
Euroa has a favourable score difference, and with games against East Shepparton, Tatura-Hill Top and Mooroopna approaching in the next three weeks, Ken Sutcliffe’s outfit has a prime chance to establish some early headway in the competition.
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