TIMBOON Gold won its third match on the trot to keep its finals hopes alive with a victory over City Memorial Red.
The crucial win keeps Timboon in the hunt and just two points behind fourth-placed City with only the rescheduled second round still to be played.
Timboon won all three of its rinks, leading comfortably for most of the day and finishing strong to defeat City Red 67-50.
Shayne Pudney won convincingly over Mathew Solly 27-18, with Peter Rowe’s rink triumphing 22-17 and Arthur Finch’s team beating David Wells 18-15.
Skipper Rowe said the whole side had pitched in for the victory.
“All three rinks were on top early, and we just kept going,” he said.
“It was a good team effort overall, everybody played their role, and at the end the results showed that.”
Rowe said his side was building momentum at just the right time of the season.
“That’s three straight now, we’re starting to settle into some good form,” he said.
“We’re building confidence, it seems to be a different outfit to what it was earlier in the year.
“We’ve had a pretty settled side for three weeks now, it’s important if you can keep the same personnel in their spots, it builds confidence.”
Timboon will have to rely on City Red losing again in this week’s final round match to Mortlake Blue, which he said was possible, but ultimately out of their hands.
“Losing some early games by a few shots is probably going to come back to haunt us,” he said.
“Mortlake has caused a few upsets this year, so they’re not without a chance, and City Red aren’t playing real well at the moment, and everyone’s a chance in this comp.
“Of course, we’ve got Warrnambool Gold at home, so we’ve got our hands full, but we’re going in believing we can beat them.”
Warrnambool Gold sits in second just two points behind leaders Dunkeld and will prove stiff opposition for Timboon, but Rowe believes the home ground advantage could prove as decisive as it did in
Timboon’s loss in Warrnambool earlier in the season.
“No doubt it’ll be a factor, we struggled with the pace of their green more than anything over there,” he said.
“The good thing is our players are full of confidence, so it should be a good game.
“But we’ll have to be at our best to beat them, they’ve been a powerhouse for years.”
In other games last week Koroit Blue defeated Port Fairy Red, Warrnambool Gold won against Warrnambool Blue, Terang Green went down to City Gold, and Dunkeld defeated Mortlake.