Taylor Bowls Premier Division Grand Final
Melbourne has beaten Bundoora RSL 74-69 in the Taylor Bowls Premier Division Grand Final for Saturday Metro Pennant at Mulgrave Country Club.
The match ended a thriller, with Melbourne leading by 21 shots with 10 ends remaining. But despite a brave Bundoora comeback, the Dees steadied when they needed to for victory.
It was Melbourne’s 10th successive win for the season – the team unbeaten since Christmas when manager Colin Gorman said they had set a personal challenge for themselves to make a late run to get into, and win, the grand final.
“We were 5-5 then. We said ‘right, we’re not going to lose another game from here’. And we didn’t,” Gorman said.
In front of a big crowd of more than 800 at Mulgrave, Melbourne took what appeared to be control of the match from midway through, opening up a 20-shot lead with a seven on one rink helping establish a decent break.
While Bundoora were never really out of the contest, you’d have had to be a brave punter to even think they could set up a grandstand finish when 21 shots down going into the final 10 ends.
Victorian representative Brett Spurr’s four was pivotal in keeping Bundoora in the contest. They trailed Michael Sims 13-7 before their late rally spearheaded Bundoora – 10 shots unanswered as they threw everything at the Dees.
Melbourne skips Scott Mortimer and Brice Young had victories, before it came down to the Sims v Spurr and Shane Fordham v Adam Galloway contests to decide the match.
But both Dees outfits did what they needed to do to shore up a team victory, despite losing their individual matches.
Earlier in the day, more than 250 people attended the traditional Grand Final brunch at Mulgrave, with former Test cricketer Rodney Hogg and comedian Dave O’Neil entertaining the crowd, and former St Kilda footballer and media personality Michael Roberts the MC.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was also among the guests and also spoke at the function..
Results – Premier Division Grand Final
Michael Sims 13 lost to Brett Spurr 17
Brice Young 22 defeated Josh Corless 18
Scott Mortimer 22 defeated Luke Aiello 14
Shane Fordham 17 lost to Adam Galloway 20
Melbourne 74 defeated Bundoora RSL 69
Div 7 Grand Final: Middle Park (4) 69 defeated Rosamond (2) 60
Click here for other Saturday Metro Pennant Divisional Final results
