Timboon defeats City Red to keep weekend pennant finals hopes alive

Keeping its final four hopes alive with a brilliant performance against City Memorial, Timboon skipper Shayne Pudney believes the close bonds within the small country club continue to show themselves out on the greens.

Defeating City Red, 67-50 to move within two points of fourth placed Red, Pudney said Saturday's performance was the best he'd seen his team play all season.

"I can't remember the last time we beat City up here," he said. "But there was a feeling around the club this week that it was like a final, lose and we're out.

"If nothing else happens for us in a few weeks, this was our day, so everyone was really motivated. Now we've got a chance."

Pudney, who is in his third season at Timboon, said it had taken time for this year's group to gel before finally hitting its straps in recent weeks.

"We've had an up-and-down year, like everyone," Pudney said. "We got a few new players and it took a while to settle, for us to know them and them to know us.

"As the season's gone, I think we've got better. We've won our last three games, we've got the momentum going and everyone knows each others games. We're a very happy club."

The long-time skip said returning to a smaller club, much like in his hometown of Mt Gambier, was what appealed most about playing at Timboon.

"I played five years at Warrnambool, but I wanted to go back to a small country club," Pudney said. "I played a few tournaments against (Timboon) and just loved their attitude. Competitive on the greens, friendly and sociable off of it.

"We have about 50 members now and we just have a ball. We have a little bus that goes around to games and we have a drink on the way home and a little sing-song."

Pudney heralded that time spent together for bringing the group closer together.

"It adds to everything. We talk about the good things, the bad things, where we went wrong, where we went right," he said.

Pudney acknowledged Dunkeld's form this year as another example of a small country club achieving great things, the latter sitting atop the division one ladder.

"I think it's great for all the smaller clubs to see how well they're doing," Pudney said. "It gives all us hope we can compete with the big clubs."

With the chance to feature in finals hinging on the final round, Pudney said his team would lay everything on the line against Warrnambool Gold.

"Next week it's in our hands, we have to win," he said.

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