EXPERIENCE guided Warrnambool Gold to a memorable Western District Bowls Division Tuesday pennant division one flag yesterday.
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Warrnambool Gold proved too strong for Port Fairy Gold in front of an interested and sizeable crowd at the Timor Street greens. The 77-57 result handed Warrnambool Gold its first Tuesday pennant top grade flag since 2010 and extended Port Fairy Gold’s four-decade long drought for at least another year.
Brenda Hawker proved the difference, leading her rink to a commanding 37-16 win against Jan Norton.
Hawker, Pat Boyd, Dianne Mugavin and Imme Gill worked well as a team on their way to the mammoth victory.
Helen Lock was Warrnambool Gold’s other rink winner, snaring a 23-20 win over Kay Miller.
Gill Phillips’ rink was the first finished but her 21-17 triumph against Maree Lynch proved to be the only celebratory moment for Port Fairy Gold.
Lock said Warrnambool Gold’s experience and compatibility came to the fore.
“We were eight down at lunchtime overall and we came home to win by 20 shots, so we came away in the afternoon,” she said.
She said teamwork played a big role in the strong performance after the break.
“They just said ‘keep trying’ and don’t go crook or get upset with the players,” Lock said. “One of mine said she was very nervous and tense and I said ‘don’t be nervous’.
“I said just play along as normal and that’s what I’ve always told my team as skipper.”
Lock said the club would treasure the win, which came on the same day its Warrnambool Red side snared the division three title.
“2010 was the last one here and I wasn’t in it, I was ill,” she said.
“In the five or six years I have been here since I left City I haven’t won one here, so it is great.
“It means a great thing for the club and now we go and play next Tuesday in the Corangamite area to contest for the region.”
One of Warrnambool Gold’s three losses for the 2013-14 campaign was against Port Fairy Gold earlier in the season.
It then went on to beat its grand final opponent three more times — including twice in the finals — on its way to the premiership.
Port Fairy Gold skipper Gill Phillips was open-minded about the loss.
“I think overall the whole lot of us gave everything we had,” she said.
“They were probably just too strong, too experienced for us.
“We led them at lunchtime and then the experience came out but everybody tried their hardest.
“It was great to make the grand final.”
Phillips said Port Fairy would now turn its attention to its Saturday pennant sides, which will all play finals which start this weekend.
“There are five men’s sides and there were three women’s sides and every one made the finals this year, every single team.”
?justine.mc@fairfaxmedia.com.au