Match winner: David Murray’s four-shot win allowed his division three team to remain in the top four via a three-shot result against Rich River.
Rochester has kept its top ranking in the Campaspe Playing Area’s division one midweek competition in spite of a thrilling draw with fifth-ranked Rich River.
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Before the weekend Rich River had won just two of its six games, but it collected seven pennant points from its match with the top-of-the-ladder team after securing wins on one of the three rinks.
At the end of 75 ends the two teams were tied on 52 shots apiece, with Rochester securing the lion’s share of the points with wins on the remaining two rinks.
Life doesn’t get any easier for Rochester this Friday as it faces the second-ranked Moama Steamers, which has won its last three matches.
Kaye Barker and Brian Trengove were the heroes for Rochester, Barker having club champion Robert Clayton as her lead bowler in a six-shot win, 17-23. Trengove, who has had a wonderful year in weekend and midweek competition, won his rink by four shots with women’s club champion Heather Curnick as his third.
Rich River skip Toni Beck almost secured his side an overall victory when she beat Richard Feuk and his rink by 10 shots on the remaining rink.
Rochester’s division one team looks almost certain to be the only midweek team involved in the finals as its winless division three team is 44 points outside the four and the division two team is a similar distance away from the top four in its competition.
In weekend pennant competition Rochester suffered a 33-shot loss to third-ranked Mathoura and will sit on the sidelines this week before playing its final match of the home and away season on February 11, against bottom team Deniliquin.
Rochester is in no danger of finishing the season on the bottom of the ladder as Deniliquin remains winless and is 21 points in arrears of the Rochester team, which is second bottom with one win.
The team did not come home from Mathoura empty-handed on Saturday. John Weeks stood tall with Kevin Burrow, Marg Knight and Rob Dennis to deliver a 24-18 victory for their rink.
Former Rochester bowler Peter Holzer had the better of Richard Feuk in their contest and secured a 14-shot win. Holzer is the seventh-ranked skip in the competition to this stage of the season.
Brian Trengove had his most difficult match in the early morning format, with play starting four hours earlier due to the heat rule, losing 14-39 to Mick Humphreys.
A four-shot loss to Tongala in division two has left Rochester in a precarious position, 12 points outside the top four with two rounds remaining.
It will need wins against top-of-the-ladder Moama Steamers and bottom team Deniliquin to give it a chance of making up the ground on fourth-ranked Tongala, then it will need to rely on the Bulls losing to Echuca (third) and Rich River (second).
Both of those scenarios could occur and will need to if the reigning premier is to have any hope of defending its title from 2021-22.
Tim Quinlan was a shining light for his team, combining with Bert Smolenaars, Roger Howe and Graeme Chambers to beat Steve Usher’s rink by 15 shots.
John Boyd, however, and Norm Hodge were no match for Wayne Cowley and Peter O’Brien. Their combined losses of 19 shots meant the overall result swayed in Tongala’s favour and allowed it to keep its spot in the four.
Rochester has retained its third ranking in the division three competition through a fighting three-shot win against fifth-ranked Rich River.
The 57-54 victory (13-3) came as a result of the four-shot win by David Murray, which made up for the one-shot defeat of Anton Gusak and the drawn rink of Kevin Hall.
Ironically, on Friday afternoon against Tongala in division three midweek competition Murray lost his match by two shots.
Rochester faces bottom-of-the-ladder Echuca this weekend before a final round match against top-of-the-ladder Moama Steamers.
With a 13-point buffer on fifth-ranked Rich River after the win, it looks likely to contest an elimination final in the opening round of the finals in three weeks’ time.
Rochester’s division two midweek team will finish outside the finals, but registered its first win of the season on Saturday.
The commanding 72-51 (16-0) win came against bottom team Ky Valley View on the back of a 12-shot Serena Sholl win, Elaine Hall’s six-shot victory and the 18-15 return of Jenny Major.
Rochester now sits clear of second-bottom side Rich River and Ky Valley View, all three teams having one win to their credit.
It is a tough finish to the year for Rochester, however, facing the second and fourth-ranked teams in the final two weeks of competition.
One hand “behind his back’’: Rochester skipper Tim Quinlan dominated Steve Usher in their division two match at the Rochester rink on Saturday, in spite of the injury which had Quinlan bowling with one functional arm.
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