Underdogs Albany Gold claim first division one pennant since 2018 after seeing off favourites Emu Point Red

Albany Gold won their first men’s Lower Great Southern Bowling League division one pennant for almost a decade when they beat Emu Point Red in the grand final on Saturday.

Albany Gold triumphed 65-60 to snatch the winner’s shield on Emu Point’s home greens having taken the long road to the final courtesy of their fourth-place league finish.

They won two of the three rinks and were close enough in the third to hang on to the advantage overall.

It was their first flag victory since 2017-18 and they denied favourites Emu Point a fifth title in six years.

Albany Gold stalwart Craig Hitchcock said before the showdown that he had played for many years without ever reaching a Lower Great Southern grand final, never mind winning one.

Now he has a 100 per cent record.

“Emu Point have been the best side for six or seven years now and we were pleasantly surprised with the victory,” he said.

“We had no expectations, especially as we had only finished fourth in the league, but things fell our way on the day.”

Hitchcock was in the rink which lost 28-16 but he said his quartet never gave up.

“We were mindful we were fighting for every shot because we needed anything we could get for the final aggregate,” he said.

“I wouldn’t say we were lucky to win overall because we just made the most of our opportunities.

“It was great to win, especially so for the newer players on the team.”

While Hitchcock’s four went down, Albany’s other rinks won 24-14 and 25-18 to take the overall victory.

Emu Point had blitzed their way into the grand final, topping the league and then defeating Middleton Beach Gold in their qualifying play-off.

In contrast, Albany had to win an elimination contest against Mt Barker Golf Red and then see off Middleton Beach Gold to make the big finale.

Emu Point lost the grand final last year to Middleton Beach 60-52 but had triumphed four years on the trot before then.

Prior to 2017-18, Albany’s last success came in 2010-11 when they completed a run of three flags in a row.