Phil Marsden

IN unseasonably cool and wet conditions, with some games cancelled, Gawler's division one metropolitan bowls team did its chances of remaining in the top division no harm with a tremendous, hard fought two-shot win over top-four side Hawthorn.
Trailing all day, it came down to the last bowl of the match to secure victory and 11 valuable points that keep Gawler in touch with teams above it on the ladder.
The new combination of Bernie Smith, Dave Turner, Rod Finlay and skipper Darren Hunter did all the damage with an inspired 35-11 rink win to be largely responsible for the win.
Falling to home team Payneham by six-shots, the division four side continue its late season resurgence, but frustratingly failed again to get over the line.
Losing three of its previous four games by small margins, there’s still hope that the side can string some wins together to remain in division four.
With skippers McConnell and Reynolds guiding their charges to wins, the team banked four points for the day and will go into this week’s contest against second-placed Modbury with some confidence of an upset.
With no rinks getting close, the division five side were soundly defeated on its trip to Playford.
Falling by 63 shots, the team will need to move on quickly as it now faces second-placed Two Wells, but will get to do so on home turf in an important fixture.