With two Geelong Bowls Region Premier Pennant rounds played, Eastern Park is already adept at playing close matches.
The Parkers learned from their one-shot loss to Highton in the season opener, defeating Bell Post Hill by five on Saturday.
Eastern Park skip Adam Martin said his side regrouped after the Highton loss.
“Just probably a little bit more consistent in the heads, communication between the four rinks was really good, and playing the overall board, not individual boards, also helps as well,” he said.
“We were up all day, but the (Nick) Bell rink and my rink were down six shots each through the day, where the other two were up, and then the roles reversed on the other ones.
“(Cal) Inderberg and (Scott) McDonald were up early and then both went down where the Bell rink went from six shots down to win by seven and myself being six shots down and I think it was nine shots (to win). So that actually helped us with the overall win on the day.”
Martin said a one-shot loss against last season’s runners-up was an opportunity to learn.
“They (Highton) played in the grand final last year, so we take that as a positive that we’re actually improving,” he said.
“It’s just a matter of picking up the 10 points. If you lose the close ones, that’s what’s going to hurt you later in the year, but if you can bank 10 points in the first five to six weeks, it sort of sets up your season.
“We’re looking forward to playing Lara next week and then we’ve got Drysdale after that, so we’ve got a big couple of weeks coming up.”
Martin said his rink of lead Stewart Webb, second Gary Connolly and third Stephen Field was primed for a big season. They defeated Highton’s Dan Priddle, Daniel Tudor, Doug McGregor and Jeremy Fitzgerald 23 to 20 in round 1 and knocked off Bell Post Hill’s Darren Gillett, Gary Logue, Michael Couzens and Andrew Pratt 25 to 16 on Saturday.
“At the moment it’s working very well and I couldn’t see it changing unless we need to strengthen up another rink and make some changes,” Martin said.
“But at this stage, for the first four or five weeks, our rinks will stay pretty much the same.
“Webby and Gary have been a very good front end and (they) let myself and Steve do what we have to do later on in the game.”
GEELONG BOWLS REGION
Round 2, Saturday 1 November
Pennant Premier
Queenscliff 86 (14) def Lara 64 (4): M. Hocking 18 def by B. Umbers 19, B. Russell 16 def by K. Weil 24, R. Butler 24 def D. Moloney 13, S. Sullivan 28 def M. Kelly 8.
Ocean Grove 87 (16) def Highton 73 (2): M. Flapper 21 def Dan Priddle 18, P. Loe 23 def A. Lee 16, T. Cromie 17 def by S. McLachlan 22, B. Pavey 26 def David Priddle 17.
Eastern Park 78 (14) def Bell Post Hill 73 (4): S. McDonald 16 def by K. Matthews 19, C. Inderberg 12 def by B. Toner 20, A. Martin 25 def D. Gillett 16, N. Bell 25 def D. Gercke 18.
Drysdale 79 (16) def Torquay 58 (2): J. Monahan 30 def G. Banks 12, B. Howie 16 def D. Cairns 13, A. Rees 14 def by D. Kitchin 18, M. Godbolt 19 def J. Issell 15.
DIVISION 1
City of Geelong 98 (17) def Highton 56 (1): J. Snell 34 def M. Cavanagh 9, J. Wombell 20 def R. Imanse 16, D. Vogele 26 def O. Landry 13, S. Tillson 18 tied with N. Oakes 18.
Leopold 118 (18) def Geelong 55 (0): B. Anderson 26 def G. Harrison 11, N. Lazic 33 def A. Crooke 11, C. Sproal 34 def B. Wilson 14, T. Dickson-Arthur 26 def T. Thompson 19.
St Leonards 84 (14) def Belmont 75 (4): A. Hills 15 def by R. Hayes 22, H. Dahler 25 def S. Davies 16, T. Long 34 def J. Harris 12, M. Kennedy 10 def by R. Agg 25.
Ocean Grove 32 (18) def Portarlington 0 (0): match won by forfeit.
