FINALS are out of sight and out of mind for Werribee in the Bowls Victoria premier division.
The Bees blew their chances of making further inroads on the top four with an 81-68 loss to Clayton on the road on Saturday.
The ‘F’ word would hardly have been uttered on Watton Street for much of the first half of the season, but consecutive wins ahead of the festive break created separation from the relegation zone and excitement for optimists who saw the 37-point gap as bridgeable.
In a few hours on Saturday the Bees had to return to looking in the rear-vision mirror, with the bottom two more clearly in sight as those at the top went on their merry way.
“It’s a bit disappointing,” Bees skip Snowy Barker said of the 13-shot loss.
“We had our chances with about 10 ends to go. It was our rink that did a bit of a number and dropped six shots.
“It cost us.”
The Bees had to adjust to the slow, heavily watered Clayton greens and managed fine after some initial hiccups. “We competed fairly well,” Barker said.
“It had a lot of water on it but you’ve got to be able to play on all surfaces.”
The Bees overcame their two biggest obstacles in Barrie Lester and Graeme Archer. Lester, a Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, and Archer, a Scottish international, were said to be the Clays’ most feared rinks.
Twice this season, the Bees have got the better of the big-name duo.
Mick O’Neil took the spoils 19-15 over Archer, while Ben Major, one of the Bees’ most consistent rinks this season, beat Lester 20-19 in a nailbiter.
The visitors were comprehensively beaten in the other two rinks.
The Bees face Melbourne at the Bee Hive on Saturday in a daunting task.
Not only will they come face-to-face with a side that many believe to be the flag favourite, but will do so without key players Darren and Jayden Christie and Tyson Shiels, who are unavailable for selection.
“We beat them at home last year so we have a chance,” Barker said.
SCORES
Premier division: Clayton 14-81 Werribee 4-68
Division 2: Hoppers 2-65 Flemington/Kensington 16-101
