In a fitting end to the 2025 championship season of the Gundagai Services Bowling Club, two teams battled it out for the Handicap Pairs title and kept the throng of supporters enthralled throughout.
Ultimately winning the match and becoming the Handicap Pairs champions were Mick Houstein and Matt Armstrong (0) with a 10-shot victory (32 – 22) over the giant-killing and form pair of the championship – Mitch Goodsall and Neil Armstrong (+6) on Saturday, August 9.
The opening salvo from Mick and Matt set the tone for the first 8 ends when they scored 16 shots to 1, adding on Mitch and Neil’s handicap the scoreboard read 16 – 7.
Then the nerves settled for Goodsall and Armstrong, and by the 11th end were trailing by 7 (18 – 11). By end 14, Houstein and Armstrong had picked up 3 and moved to 21 on the scoreboard. But a determined Mitch and Neil kept staunchly on the comeback trail, winning the next 3 ends with single shots to once again trail by 7 (21 – 14).
By the 19th end Mick and Matt further consolidated their lead with 3 added, putting a nice 10-shot buffer between them and their opponents. But in a passage of great bowling, a quick turnaround of 5 shots, that included a 4 on the 21st end, saw Mitch and Neil sitting just 5 behind their opposition (24 – 19) and were primed for a big finish.
However, the stars were not aligned for Mitch and Neil and disaster struck on the 23rd end when they dropped 5 shots and were now floundering with 2 ends left to play. Two more to Mick and Matt on the 24th end (32 – 19) had assured them of victory.
The 25th end, though not needing to be played was played anyway, where Mitch and Neil picked up 3 shots to take their score to 22, with Mick and Matt’s victory on Saturday all championships have now been completed.
Congratulations to all winners throughout the year, but don’t worry folks there is still plenty of bowls left for 2025, see you out on the greens.
The South West Slopes Times covers an area approximately the size of Fiji in country NSW. We look after a population of more than 50,000 people with our staff servicing 7 major towns and dozens of villages with our story telling footprint.
We offer weekly print editions at $3 a copy and we also offer digital subscriptions across 3 months $30, 6 months $60 and 12 months $120.
We are one of the last truly local independent family run newspaper businesses in the state.
Contact us today to find out how we can promote your business or organisation across our huge network by emailing ads@thetimes.net.au or by calling 0413 763 216.
If you have a news tip, lead or scoop for us please make contact as we love celebrating our communities. You can contribute articles via our South West Slopes Times website.