Gosford City under dogs bite back   

Matt Pithers, Adam Pinkerton and Peter Freestone

Gosford City’s trio of Matthew Pithers, Adam Pinkerton and Peter Freestone answered their critics with a stunning victory over the highly fancied Halekulani team of Michael Stead, Pat Reynolds and Aron Sherriff in the Zone 15 Triples Championship held at Bateau Bay Bowling Club.

Gosford City’s trio of Matthew Pithers, Adam Pinkerton and Peter Freestone answered their critics with a stunning victory over the highly fancied Halekulani team of Michael Stead, Pat Reynolds and Aron Sherriff in the Zone 15 Triples Championship held at Bateau Bay Bowling Club.
The semi finals were decided in the morning with the local Bateau Bay team of Stephen Bryant, Keith Campbell and Gary Langham lining up against the Gosford City trio of Matt Pithers, Adam Pinkerton and Peter Freestone in one semi and the Halekulani top guns of Michael Stead, Pat Reynolds and Aron Sherriff in a shoot out against the Avoca Beach combination of Les James, Dick Love and Peter Coombes in the other semi.
Playing two bowl triples over 25 ends under blue skies with a slight SW wind on a free running green proved a testing task for all the teams and many players seemed to struggle with weight control.
Freestone’s Gosford City lads led narrowly until the 15th end when Bateau Bay boys levelled the score at 10 all and put their nose in front briefly, but Gosford were not to be denied and regained the lead to finish the game 20-17 to move into the final.
Meanwhile two rinks away, the Halekulani trio were slugging it out with Avoca Beach until Avoca were stunned on the 8th end from which they never recovered and the hot favourites powered away for a resounding 25-14 victory.
This set the scene for a Halekulani / Gosford City showdown in the afternoon and the critics were tipping a strong Halekulani victory.
But it wasn’t long before the humble pie was being portioned out as Gosford got the jump on their opponents with a telling four shots on the first end.
Halekulani threw everything at them to narrow this teasing margin with great draw bowls from Michael Stead and Aron Sherriff’s accurate on-shots.
But Gosford held their nerve and stuck to their game plan of draw bowls from all team members to record a well deserved win of 30-18.
Gosford City skip Peter Freestone was “walking on air” after the game and said, “After his team was runner up in their Club’s Major Triples title he felt sure they were knocking on the door of a big win and this was it.”
The Zone officials watching the final voted Gosford City’s second Adam Pinkerton as the “Man of the Match” and it is hoped we will see more of this talented player in the near future.
Peter and his team will now go on to Soldiers Point Bowling Club in their quest for a State title
At the presentation ceremony inside the Bateau Bay clubhouse at the conclusion of the day Zone 15 President Kevin Dring congratulated all the players on reaching the final and in particular paid tribute to Matt Pithers, Adam Pinkerton and Peter Freestone on their first Zone championship title.
Kevin also took the opportunity of wishing Aron Sherriff every success at the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Delhi.