General News
26 November, 2020
Lakers dealt reality check
MORTLAKE selector Darren Grant admitted his side received a reality check against Western District Bowls Division powerhouse City Red last Saturday.
MORTLAKE selector Darren Grant admitted his side received a reality check against Western District Bowls Division powerhouse City Red last Saturday.
City Red dominated the Lakers from the outset, with the visitors winning all three rinks en route to a 73-37 victory.
Grant said his side was disappointed with the result, but added the Lakers had been shown the standard they needed to reach to be among the premier teams in the competition.
“It was a reality check for us,” he said.
“They were just too close too often and they maintained pressure on us all day.
We were under pressure right from the start and we just couldn’t get the numbers in there (the head) to put the pressure back on them.
“The reality is that is how we need to play to have any chance of beating the top sides.”
Grant said it was hard to fault City Red in the contest, adding the opposition’s even spread of contributors in each rink proved telling in the result.
He said the combined effort showed the Lakers how they could reach the standard City set.
“The guys we played against were very even in their game right across the board,” he said.
“All of them bowled above average, all four of them, and that’s the next level we have to get to.
“We’re still a bit erratic and some weeks we might have two out of four bowl well which might cover the other fellas.
“But in reality it’s the ability to have all four bowl well which will be important for us.”
The result aside, Grant said it was pleasing for the club to see Dwayne Dolling and Alan Wentworth play well.
But he is hoping the pair and their team-mates put up a better showing when they travel to Koroit this weekend.
Grant said his side was expecting a tough outing against another of the division’s stronger clubs.
“That’s certainly a big challenge now after coming off a disappointing performance, to have to pick ourselves up and take on Koroit who will be very keen for some retribution after we knocked them out of the finals race last year,” he said.
“I’m confident we can bounce back, we know we’re better than that and I’m confident we can put it behind us, regroup and take it up to Koroit.”