With the round-robin nearly complete and the top four locked in, some intriguing semifinals loom in a fortnight in the Metropolitan senior A pennant series.
The Bombers will face fourth-placed Chisholm Links after finishing on top of the ladder.
Second-placed St Clair will take on the B52s, who snuck past Taieri and avoided a clash with their clubmates.
Taieri Lakes’ season ended with a 3.5-2.5 defeat to the B52s at Balmacewen.
The Mosgiel side was still in the race, needing at least 5.5 games, but fell two games short.
However, it has at least been able to put out a reasonably consistent side week in week out without having to dip into fringe players as it has in the past.
But it was the B52s setting the tone. Tom Lee and Andrew Hobbs form a formidable tail and ran out big winners over Ken Shaw and Matt Mercer respectively to give the home side an early lead and seal a semifinal spot.
Lakes No3 Mark Andrews secured the visiting side’s first win, defeating Tom Gillan 3/2, before B52s Steve Horn no4 landed a third game for the home side over Blair Bennett.
Needing a half to avoid a semifinal clash with the Bombers, it came down the No1s after Lakes No2 Ryan Rosevear added to visiting team’s tally in defeating Howard Maxwell.
With light fading and fog setting in, B52s Matt Weir and Lakes Hayden Robertson both played solidly for a half to give the home side the win and a looming clash with St Clair.
St Clair sealed second place with a comfortable win, retaining the Blackhead Cup over Island Park in misty damp conditions on Saturday.
Jacob Bellamy resumed normal transmission after a surprise loss last week, defeating Joseph Hancock 3/2.
The Saints’ top order finished quickly as Matt Crawford, Callum White and Tony Giles all recorded comfortable wins.
Park No5 Michael Minty gained his side’s only game, defeating a fast-finishing Parker Aluesi on the final green.
Saints No4 Scott Mitchell earned revenge on Jarden Hammond with a 1-up victory to complete the 5-1 drubbing.
At Chisholm Links, a late change at the top order hindered the home side’s chances of avoiding a semifinal against the Bombers, after Matt Tautari was forced out with the flu at No1.
The Bombers got off to a flyer, winning their first three games easily, with Callum Judkins and Ben Patston accounting for Sean and Kyle Geary while Brandon Hodgson defeating Jason Pegler all were 4/3 wins.
Links No3 Mackenzie Gibson earned the home side’s first win after defeating Luke Murdoch, who was called in for Will Young, while Phil Bungard set up a potential draw defeating an under-golfed Duncan Croudis 2/1.
Filling in for Tautari at No1, Mike Bowman found himself 2-up early on John McIntee.
However, the Scotsman proved too steady in the run home, running out a 2/1 winner for a 4-2 result.
- By Michael Minty
