Bundoora RSL is all but out of finals contention in Bowls Victoria’s Premier Division after a three-rink, 23-shot loss to reigning premier Moonee Ponds on Saturday.
Needing a win to keep finals hopes alive, Bundoora was jumped at the start to trail early.
They managed to draw level by the halfway mark but the strength of the opposition shone through and the Ponds pulled away late to record a comfortable victory.
Shane Fordham, Brett Spurr and Mark Jacobsen were the winners for the Ponds, knocking off Bundoora’s Ian Ewing, Nick McIntyre and Luke Aiello by six, nine and 13 shots respectively.
Damon Diflorio was the only winner for Bundoora, snaring a 21-16 win over Adam Galloway’s rink.
Aiello said Bundoora struggled to counter the might of the Ponds.
“It was an away game for us against a really strong side so it was always going to be tough us,” he said.
“It pretty much makes it mathematically impossible for us to make finals now.”
Aiello said Bundoora RSL had “fallen in a hole” after a making strong start to the season.
“We were 6-2 and now we’re 7-8,” he said. “There’s nothing really you can put your finger on . . . we’re just lacking confidence.”
Bundoora closes out the season with difficult matches against Essendon, Melbourne and ladder-leader Brighton, all of whom are battling for a finals spot.
“Hopefully we can make it a bit difficult for some of these sides,” Aiello said.
“Essendon need a win this weekend so we’ll be out there trying to make it difficult for them.”
In other matches, Lalor remained atop the division one section two ladder with a two-rink, eight-shot win over lowly Ivanhoe. In the same grade, Glenroy beat Brighton by three rinks and 30 shots.
Craigieburn recorded a comfortable two-rink, 20-shot win over Darebin City in division two section three, while Whittlesea beat Rosanna by just one shot.
Division three section two saw Gladstone Park record just its fourth win of the season with an amazing three-rink, nine-shot win over ladder-leaders Essendon.
In division three section three, Epping RSL grabbed a two-rink, four-shot success over Whittlesea.
