CITY Memorial Red played the club card on Saturday, fighting for a win to ensure lower-ranked City Gold held onto fourth position on the Western District Bowls Division top grade ladder.
Red travelled to Timor Street to play fifth-ranked Warrnambool Blue in round 15 division one action.
A win to Blue could have promoted it into the top four, booting Gold out.
But Red kept clubmate Gold’s potential plight in mind and escaped with an 80-78 victory.
“We were very happy with the overall win,” Red skipper Vince Moloney said.
“We needed to win to help out our Gold side.”
Red skipper Ray Hoy toppled Blue Glen McNaughton 25 to 17, while City’s Peter Maddern and Warrnambool’s Neville Lynch drew with 21 apiece.
Host Robert Anderson pipped Red skipper Tim Jackway 17-16, while Colin Jensen toppled Moloney 23-18.
“Our rink had a very good game of bowls, despite the result,” Moloney said.
“It was most enjoyable.
“There was only ever two or three shots in it.”
Moloney and his rink-mates Bill Tory, Leo Dunne and Peter Pangrazio slipped behind by about six shots after tea but managed to peg Jensen back.
At the last end Moloney trailed by a shot but was holding two before Jensen had his turn.
“He played a lovely shot,” Moloney said.
“The kitty went back about a yard and they won because of it.”
In other matches, Port Fairy put up a good fight against Dennington Red, with both sides winning two rinks each, but it was Dennington who took the win 105-94.
Ladder leader Warrnambool Gold had a scare from fourth-ranked City Gold but managed to triumph 100-94.
Timboon Gold won three rinks to topple City Green 110-77, while Terang Green did the same against Mortlake Blue, dropping just one rink to win 118-74
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