Well, of the five games played on Saturday, you would have to say that there were at least three surprises. None more so that the absolute belting that the Manning Eagles gave the Fremantle Mariners, eight points and a fifty nine point result for the home side. The losses to Spearwood and Leeming have also thrown the cat amongst the pigeons. Gosnells and Safety Bay continuing on their winning ways.
THORNLIE 78 (1) v SAFETY BAY 86 (7)
Gary Beckwith 25 v Ron Hall 17
Norman Holden 20 v Christopher Owen 24
Glyn Vaughan 17 v Chris Carruthers 18
Tony Churcher 16 v Paul Beaumont 27
Seven points to the visitors, sees them undefeated after four games, it not without a struggle at the home of the Ravens.
My colleague at Thornlie tells me that they were right in the hunt until the last few ends across the board, losing by only eight shots at the finish of eighty four closely fought ends. The eleven shot margin that the Paul Beaumont skipped rink of third Alan Daddow, second Gary Ogg, and lead Alex Creyk, had over the Churcher four was basically the difference between the two sides. Gary Beckwith, Murray White, Ian Rewell and brilliant lead in Pas Riggio tried there best to stem the tide, but to no avail. They beat the very experienced and successful Hall foursome from the Bay by eight shots.
MANNING 114 (8) v FREMANTLE 55 (0)
Shane Adams 26 v Wayne Heldt 19
Alan Pryce 34 v Barry Coote 8
Stephen Hughes 30 v Dinko Bacich 12
Brian Jeppesen 24 v Peter Wachmer 16
The result didn’t surprise me, but the margin certainly did, as the cohesive and experienced Eagles outfit showed the other new boys in the Mariners a clean pair of heals to gain eight valuable points, with a massive fifty nine shot margin to boot.
The big winners for the Eagles were the Pryce and Hughes rinks who won by twenty six and eighteen shots over the Coote and Bacich foursomes.
The Mariners with a lot of work to do it seems.
Manning report
Hot! That pretty much described it just as all the bowlers were about to step out onto the green at Manning on Saturday afternoon. Manning were weary of a new look Mariners outfit keen to prove to all that they belong in the 1 Blue South comp.
However, it was the hometown Eagles that got the early jump across all rinks, especially the Hughes rink that continued their great second half form from last week immediately this week. By End 11, Manning were winning on all rinks, with the Agg at half way mark 55 – 24, and they just continued on with that form for the rest of the day.
The Heldt and Wachmar rinks for Freo came closest to maybe gaining a point, fighting hard all day. Unfortunately, the Eagles Skips of Jeppersen and Adams held their nerves, refusing to show any sympathy toward the opposition and both fought on to secure the 8 points for Manning.
Jeppersen, Ellis, Dolton, Evans 24
Wachmar, McCormack, McFlurry, Starcevich 16
The Jeppersen rink pretty much had things under control all day with a very even contribution from all. Freo managed 4 from Ends 19 and 20 to bring the score to 22-16, but the Eagles boys finished with a 2 on the Last End to seal the game.
Pryce, McLLHeney, Andrew, Hughes 34
Coote, Gill, Gavranich, Gittins 8
Well, what a way to get back on the winners board for the Pryce rink! The Manning rink gave the Mariners nothing during this game, and every time they thought they may have been in with a chance, Skipper Pryce was there to quash those thoughts. Hopefully this will be the start of a long list of wins for this Eagles Rink.
Adams, Adams, Rees, Lill 26
Heldt, Gibson, Moore, Chessell 19
Lill continued his great form from last week, again giving the Manning Rink regular great starts. The Mariners did get back to 20-18 after End 19 and were holding shot, until Skip Adams drove off the shot bowl and gave the Eagles a count of 6 for the end.
Hughes, Hogg, Connell, Lambert 30
Bacich, Stewart, Kelly, Bowden 12
Having had a game they would prefer to forget the week before, the Eagles boys did show some heart by winning 9 of the last 12…and they brought this form straight to the first end this week. Maybe it was a different ‘pep talk’ this week, but this week’s first half could not have been any more different from the previous week. The Eagles Rink was out to prove a point, and prove it they did, never giving the Mariners team a ‘sniff’ at any point.
GOSNELLS 95 (8) v ARMADALE 66 (0)
Maurice Crabb 26 v Blair Griffiths 8
Brett Holland 22 v Brandon Heta 18
Grant Nicol 26 v Brian Davis 21
Frank Carbone 21 v Chadd Hunt 19
The Storm putting up a much better fight on Saturday to go down by twenty nine shots at the finish of an improved performance at the home of the Kookaburras.
Eight points to the home side, with only one rink being a big blowout, that of the Griffiths foursome who lost by eighteen shots to the experienced Maurice Crabb, Doddy Innes, Colin Watters and Ian Farley.
A lady supporter from Armadale gave me a bit of a serve for being too harsh on her side, but I try and call it as I see it, and will continue to do so. It would help though if Armadale and some of the other sides were to publish their teams. Good luck to the Storm, I am sure they are doing their best.
SPEARWOOD 68 (1) v HILTON PARK 91 (7)
Ivan Unkovich 16 v Joseph Bajic 26
Ken Nadilo 17 v Craig Standley 21
Nikola Silich 17 v Robert Hunter 27
Vled Pesich 18 v Gary Dodd 17
The Hawks have really consolidated this year in First Division and have now beaten two of their opponents quite well. Winning down at Spearwood is not normally easy, but they gained seven valuable points with a shot margin of twenty three as well on Saturday.
Joe Bajic, skip, and his partners of Robert Fortin, Ron Turner, and young David Newton cleaned up the Unkovich rink quite comprehensively to set the aggregate up, a good ten shot win.
Robbie Hunters rink also winning by ten over Silich, with Craig Standley picking up the other point.
VICTORIA PARK CARLISLE 89 (7) v LEEMING 75 (1)
Noel Staude 20 v Alexander Anderson 19
Michael Simms 16 v Karl Vandersluys 22
John Hiskins 30 v James Newton 22
Robert Johnson 23 v Gary Ford 12
A big scalp to the previously winless Reds who had a good solid win over one of the divisions heavyweights in the Lions. The big winner for the home side was the rink of Johnson, Jermalinski, Hogarth, and Robertson, who accounted for the Ford foursome by some eleven shots.
The Reds have shown that they are no easy beats, even with the loss of some more players this year.
Staude and new skip Hoskins gaining the other wins for the home side, with Vandersluys carrying on his winning ways with a six shot win, to gain the Lions only point.
