The thirteenth round ended going as thought, except for Vic Park capitulating to Melville on their own turf. Maybe the Hilton win over Thornlie was a little surprising too, but it was played at the Hawks home, on their good grass green.
Cockburn still all alone on top, now sixteen and a half points in front of Safety Bay, with only five games to go, to complete the home and away fixtures.
Joe Marevich from Cockburn, and his accomplished rink, with a perfect eleven out of eleven wins, leads the skip table from the Gollan four from Rossmoyne.
COCKBURN 89 (6) v GOSNELLS 70 (2)
TePania, William 16 v Heldt, Wayne 17
Marevich, Josip (Joe) 26 v Watters, Colin 18
Krajancic, Marko 26 v Holland, Brett 13
Musulin, Mirko 21 v Crabb, Maurice 22
The Roosters winning the aggregate quite comfortably, but they would be disappointed not to have got the eight points on offer. Wayne Heldt and Maurice Crabb from the Kookaburras were able to grab two valuable points in their quest to keep out of relegation territory. Both teams won by the solitary shot, but that is all you need.
Marevich, Mateljak, Johnny Ravlich and accomplished lead Jacob Sgarlata, winning again over the Watters foursome. Marko Krajancic was the big winner, by thirteen shots over the Holland rink.
HILTON PARK 74 (5.5) v THORNLIE 68 (2.5)
Hunter, Robert 20 v Sewell, Glenn 21
Standley, Craig 24 v Francisco, John 16
Wood, Daniel 17 v Beckwith, Gary 17
Dodd, Gary 13 v Vaughan, Glyn 14
The Hawks only winning on one rink, but that was enough for them to be able to grab the majority of the points against the brave and pesky Ravens.
My informant tells me that there was nothing in this contest all day, and it was only at the death knock that the home side got over the line. Craig Standley and his team of Kuhnl, Smith, and Willis too good for the Francisco rink, winning by eight shots, and effectively carrying the aggregate.
Sewell and Vaughan pinching two points for the Ravens, whilst Beckwith halved his game with Wood, for, what could be a valuable half point.
SAFETY BAY 91 (6) v LEEMING 73 (2)
Kennedy, Raymond 15 v Alberti, Tyrone 27
Beaumont, Paul 17 v Vandersluys, Karl 18
Hall, Ron 29 v Burgess, Geoffrey 8
Carruthers, Chris 30 v Ford, Gary 20
The Bay were able to really toss the visiting Lions, winning by eighteen shots at the finish of eighty four ends. Geoff Burgess in his only game as skip was comprehensively thrashed by the very accomplished Ron Hall rink of Wilson, Daynes, and evergreen Alan Holmes. Hall winning by twenty one shots at the finish, aggregate gone, full stop.
Karl Vandersluys winning once again, with Alberti also gaining another valuable point for the visitors.
MT PLEASANT 67 (0) v ROSSMOYNE 1 96 (8)
Elliss, Barry 14 v Lang, Rawley 27
Maras, Tom 20 v Gollan, Edward 28
Booth, Harry 13 v Petchell, Allan 20
Welsh, Ernest 20 v Green, Daniel 21
The Mounties succumbed rather meekly to there close neighbours from over the freeway, losing by twenty nine shots at the end.
The home side put up a bit of a fight at the start, but once headed they were not in the hunt.
The only rink that put up a fight was the team skipped by Jimmy Welsh, who went down to the four containing Danny Green and Ray Halse, both ex Mountie players.
Lang, Gollan and Petchell all having good wins for the visitors.
Eight points away from home is a great result for the River Rats.
Have the Mounties given up the ghost?
VICTORIA PARK CARLISLE 64 (2) v MELVILLE 77 (6)
Freund, Peter 19 v Crabtree, Tim 16
Simms, Michael 14 v White, Geoffrey 19
Johnson, Robert 13 v Regan, Dwain 25
Florance, David 18 v Leahy, Travis 17
Another loss to the Reds, this time at home by some thirteen shots, but they did pick up two valuable points in their bid to avoid possible demotion playoffs.
Some four teams, namely Vic Park, Gosnells, Hilton and Melville attempting to keep out of the bottom four. Geoff White finally having a win for the visitors, with Regan successful also.
A close contest my Vic Park informant tells me, Melville pulling away at the finish though.
Both teams with some work to do to avoid relegation.