Werribee will face bottom two sides Berwick and Lalor over the final two rounds of the Bowls Victoria division 1 regular season.
This is a draw that should cure its recent ills and see the under-performing side lock up a home semi-final.
Bees skipper Snowy Barker is not counting his chickens before they hatch, particularly after Saturday’s dreadful 87-72 home loss to third-placed Eltham, which he described as “one of our worst performances I’ve been involved in”.
“We’re taking nothing for granted,” he told Star Weekly. “We’ve got to turn around our form. If we lose the next two games, we probably don’t deserve to be there.
“The ball is in our court,” Barker said.
The Bees racked up their seventh loss in 16 games but still managed to keep hold of second spot on the ladder.
And the team somehow holds a 10-point break over the next best side on the ladder.
The reason is that only two wins separate teams ranked two through to eight on the ladder in what has been a remarkably tight season – meaning no side has been able to gain significant ground as the chasing pack are pinching points off each other.
“Anyone can beat anyone on their day,” Barker said.
The Bees went missing after the break against Eltham.
The only winning rink was Barker’s, who finished up 10, while Rob Panton had a tie. Mick O’Neil was narrowly beaten, but Jayden Christie had a howler, losing by 20.
“We let it run away,” Barker said. “We were two shots up at the break and to capitulate like that at home is not acceptable.
“It’s disappointing and I can’t get a handle on why it happened.”
Hoppers Crossing wins
Hoppers picked up its third win of the division 2 season, shocking finals-bound Flemington-Kensington 99-66 at home.
Hoppers still has a slim hope of survival but needs to win the final two matches and hope results go its way.
