Gallery | Shepparton Park and East Shepparton can’t be split in hair-raising Allan Matheson Shield draw

By Liam Nash

Nov 17, 2024

East Shepparton and Shepparton Park could not be separated in a gripping division one draw on Saturday. Photo by Megan Fisher

All’s fair in love and draw.

Two top four fancies in the Goulburn Valley Playing Area’s Allan Matheson Shield were locked in a perfect equilibrium on Saturday as Shepparton Park and East Shepparton played out a tie worthy of watching.

The numbers tell a story of balance over an afternoon where momentum swung like a pendulum and it only tightens the gap surrounding a coveted finals spot.

But Park, despite edging East on rink points, was pushed all the way.

Image 1 of 7
East Shepparton’s Ash Williamson put on a good show against his former club. Photo by Megan Fisher

Image 2 of 7
Shepparton Park’s Kate Bush steps out with gusto. Photo by Megan Fisher

Image 3 of 7
Shepparton Park’s Ross Higgins skipped his rink to commanding victory in the fourth set of ends. Photo by Megan Fisher

Image 4 of 7
East Shepparton’s Rob Thorne and his third rink went down by a single shot. Photo by Megan Fisher

Image 5 of 7
Shepparton Park’s Di Hands points the arm in the direction she wants her bowl to go. Photo by Megan Fisher

Image 6 of 7
East Shepparton’s Gary Lovell has both eyes firmly fixed on the prize. Photo by Megan Fisher

Image 7 of 7
Shepparton Park’s Shane Walsh winds up to go big. Photo by Megan Fisher

Chris Johnson skipped East to a stunning 12-shot victory in the first exchange, but Ray Hill’s four bit back for the Parkers with a 20-16 salute in the second.

The third set of ends typified the game’s nature as each side teetered on the edge of victory with bowls kissing the jack like no tomorrow.

Park eventually nabbed the third rink by a single shot and, despite Ross Higgins claiming a 26-19 triumph in the last, Johnson and company’s dominance gave East a share of the points.

The scoreboard, frozen at 11-77 to 7-77, enabled Park to hold on to third spot, while East enters the top four conversation, five points adrift of its latest opponent.

East’s entrance was made possible by Tatura-Hill Top dropping its game against Mooroopna, allowing the new-look Cats to scratch their first W on the season tally for the 2024-25 season.

Last week, Tatura-Hill Top coach Scott Adams labelled the Mooroopna test as a “danger game”, stating the Cats were “going to be looking for their first win and we don’t want to be the ones they get that against”.

Unfortunately for him, that’s exactly what transpired.

And for Mooroopna, boy was it convincing.

The Cats clinched all four rinks in a dominant showing on home greens, underlined by Paul Warren’s four scoring a nine-shot triumph over Brendon Boyd’s troops.

The hosts went on to seal the game 18-84 to 0-69, landing new Cats coach Martin Fong his first major points after five matches leading a cut, pumped and buffed Mooroopna contingent.

While that may have raised some eyebrows, the other two fixtures did not differ from the usual script.

Reigning premier Tallygaroopna returned from Euroa with yet another gleaming result, stringing its fifth win on the spin together thanks to a 14-82 to 4-61 conquest.

Shepparton Golf, hottest on the Redlegs’ heels despite a 15-point gap, also claimed another victim in Kyabram as the Golfers rolled with purpose during a 14-75 to 4-60 triumph.

The Bombers tasted success in rinks one and two, but Golf’s heavy victories in the other sets of ends pushed it well clear of the hosts.