The St Clair Saints have edged ahead of the Otago Bombers at the top of the metropolitan senior A pennant series after scoring a 4-2 victory at Balmacewen on Saturday.
The rest of the competition remain in the positions they were in before round four began.
All visiting teams were victorious with Chisholm Links and the Otago B52s also claiming wins.
St Clair appear to be becoming the dominant force between the two cross-town rivals.
The Saints’ tail and middle order proved the difference at Balmacewen despite the home team dominating at the top with Callum Judkins and Luke Murdoch both winning comfortably, as did Jake Bleach for the Saints, defeating Ricky Stewart 6/5.
But the remaining wins for St Clair had to be earned in what would be a pleasing sight for Otago selectors.
Juniors Albie Reed and Connor Howes revelled in the pressure-cooker environment of final green glory — clinching the scalps of Duncan Croudis and Ben Patston respectively — while Logan Clarke defeated Tony Brown 2-up.
At Taieri Lakes, the Otago B52s faced their second playoff in four games against Taieri Lakes, who will rue missing the opportunity to take the three points and stay in touch with the top four.
Taieri will feel unlucky especially with Mark Andrews, Jarrod Mitchell and Hayden Robertson recording big wins to easily secure the half.
However, the visitors hung in the fight, forcing the fixture to extra holes through 1-up victories to Isaac Hobbs, Lewis Harper and Mat Weir.
Weir faced Blair Bennett down the par-5 No 1 hole.
Both had short approaches and found the green after good drives before Weir slotted his 5m eagle putt to win the fixture for the B52s.
Island Park’s season is now hanging by a thread, suffering their fourth loss in as many games to Chisholm Links.
It was the Links who inflicted the early blows, securing three easy wins through Kai Koni, Jason Pegler and Mike Weastell before Jarden Hammond halted John McIntee’s early season form to get Park on the scoreboard.
However, the result was a forgone conclusion when Blair Liffiton (Links) defeated a fast-finishing Oliver Devereux on the final green, while Mat Chiles earned his first senior A points for Island Park as he halved with Mackenzie Gibson.
— Michael Minty
