Melton’s pennant bowls season is going down to the wire, with the club in a four-way battle for finals.
Competing in division 1, only Altona (2) is guaranteed a place in the finals, with the A’s 68 points clear on top of the ladder.
That has left Melton fighting with Werribee, Eltham and Essendon for the remaining three spots.
Melton, now in fifth position, secured a vital 16 (94)-2 (72) win over Donvale at the weekend to keep the club’s finals dream intact.
Melton secretary John Adams said it was a huge win for the club.
“The way the results have gone we’re still fifth, but we’re two points off fourth, three points off third and 10 off second,” he said.
“It’s a four-way battle for three places now.”
Despite being fifth, Melton is in the preferred position of having its fate in its own hands.
If it can beat Elsternwick this week, Melton’s final match of the season will be against third-placed Eltham.
The winner of that match will almost certainly secure one of the three remaining positions.
But Melton isn’t looking too far ahead. Rather, it’s focused on its away fixture against Elsternwick. “In division 1, everyone can beat everyone. It’s pretty tight,” Adams said. “You need to go into it switched on.
“If we play the way we’ve been playing we give ourselves every chance of winning. Then it could all come down to the last game.”
In other good news for Melton, it appears that all four of the club’s pennant sides will avoid relegation.
Adams was quick to praise club coach Ray Morrissey for his role in building consistency.
“The support he’s built throughout the club has been our biggest asset of the year,” Adams said. “Everyone accepts where they’re picked and supports one another.
“Ray Morrissey has been our coach for two years now. Previously we would be lucky to get anyone to training. Now he has everyone there on Thursday night doing their drills and turning up to training, which is improving the club all the time.”
