Sports News

Hook, Line and Sinker with Lindsay Doust

Rot kills 3,000 bass at Toonumbar

The fishing scene is starting to see signs of winter species cropping up. Last weekend nice tailor were caught in the area - from both breakwalls in Ballina and at Lennox Head, including some very nice specimens.

On the beach, I heard of a few from the Patches Beach area, with one weighing in at 4 kilograms. There was also a 5-kilo tailor pulled in at Lennox Head. One angler I saw on the North wall had nine fish in his bag and they were still biting.

Bream have also started. It seems one of the best spots at present is around Pimlico during the day and those spinning soft plastics are doing very well. Remember, when using soft plastics it is even better to add one of the scents to the plastic. Just a small dab on the lure every four to five throws. It also works well on hard bodied lures.

This weekend the 'fish predicta' suggests the best times will be from about 7.30 to 10.30 on both days, in the mornings and evenings.

At Toonumbar dam about 3,000 bass have been found dead in a fish kill.

Testing of the water showed a lack of oxygen, probably caused by decaying grass and weeds, covered with water after the dam was so empty for so long.

Greber crashes in Championship

Kyogle have completed the second round of the Club Championship with Paul Hurley leading on 158. Steve Beaumont continues to lead B Grade with 172 The Championship enters the third round next week while this Sunday Kyogle will host the Lion's Charity Day.

The Casino Club Championships got underway last Saturday, with overcast conditions, and moisture on the fairways for most of the day.

Brett Dean, the early favourite, has already established a 4 stroke buffer, after a par round of 70.

Former Champion, Mick Greber would seem to be out of contention, after carding 84 hits.

In A Reserve Grade Gary Plows leads with 76 from Danny Kennedy on 82. Things are a bit tighter in B Grade, where Jack Scully holds a one shot advantage on 81.

The competition is also close in C Grade, where young Michael Vidler leads with 89 hits, from the vastly more experienced Paul Mulherin on 90.

The Championships continue next Saturday and Sunday.

Honour Roll

Rous defence steps up a notch

Rous' wing attack Rebecca Hughes gives away a penalty as she cuts across Woodlawn's wing defence Julie Cummings during the third quarter of their First division clash on Saturday.

In an awesome display of defence Rous turned around their game against the newly promoted Woodlawn Falcons during the third quarter on Saturday. Trailing 22-20 at half time it looked as though Woodlawn were going to run away with the game in the second half. The Falcons had outscored Rous 13-11 after an even first term. But it was all the Falcons could do to get the ball into the hands of their shooting pair after the big break. Woodlawn were restricted to only five goals from a paltry seven shots.

Showing that they are made of stern stuff the Falcons fought back in the final stanza to fall short by just one goal, 43-42.

In a battle of the big guns Breakaways took the points against Daleys 31-26 while a short-staffed All Saints put on a sterling effort but could not overcome the numerical advantage held by Daleys Tribes to lose 22-44.

Evans and South win Zone

Three NRDBA teams won through the Zone pennant playoffs, to qualify for the state finals. Evans Head pulled off a double by taking out Grades Two and Five while South Lismore got up in the Three's. South Lismore will be host the Grade Two finals from June 12-14.

Zone One Pennant results

No 1: Brunswick Heads
No 2: Evans Head
No 3: South Lismore
No 4: Ocean Shores
No 5: Evans Head
No 6: Maclean
No 7: Maclean

David Tancred and Neil Burgess' upset favourites David Ball and Brian Nixon in the District Pairs final on Saturday, thus eliminating the chance that either Nixon or Ball could end up with all four district championships. They were both part of the winning 2004 District fours and triples teams.

Nixon and Ball, both from Casino RSM, are also the leading contenders for the 2004 NRDBA Bowler of the Year. They meet in the first round of the District Singles Championship this Saturday, set down for Evans Head, although it could be transferred to their home rink at Casino.

Donati takes the double

Over the past fortnight members of Lismore, Alstonville, Ballina, Byron Bay, Casino and Kyogle croquet clubs fought out the 2004 Northern Rivers Championships, with Max Donati of Byron taking out both the singles and doubles (with Robyn Stock) titles.

Results

Singles - Open: Max Donati (Byron Bay); Handicaps 8 to 12: Dave Brackenridge (Lismore); Handicaps 13 to 16: Julie O'Brien (Ballina); Handicaps 17 to 19: Lennie Downs (Ballina); Novices: Lyn Lynch (Lismore); Veterans: Ada Somerville (Lismore).

Doubles - Open: Max Donati/Robyn Stock (Lismore); Handicaps over 12: Helen Gavin/Ethel Hildebrand (Ballina); Handicaps over 16: Val Martin/Shirley Sewell (Ballina).

Every Bluedog has its day - Soccer FNC

Workers Club's Steve Morrissey flies on to the ball in the premier reserve match between Workers and Byron Bay at Oakes Oval on Saturday.

It took 1867 days to achieve, but Bangalow have finally won a match in the Soccer FNC Premier Division. Unable to win a game during their only other season in the top flight, 1999, the Bangalow Bluedogs 1-nil away win against Thistles is a historic moment for the club. Their next priority is to ensure that they stay in Premier division. They host Richmond Rovers this Saturday from 5pm.

Stars lived up to their name on Saturday at Oakes oval. Having lost their top goal scorer from 2003, Wayne Mortimer, it was thought that the reigning premiers might struggle in front of goal. But ten goals from four games, including five against Alstonville at Oakes Oval on Saturday, have put paid to those suggestions. Stars' form player, Jeremy Pollard, scored a first half double for Stars as they won 5-1.

Stars win pulls them level with Casino at the top of the table after the Cobras suffered their first reverse of the season. Casino let in their first three goals for the year as Richmond Rovers took the honours 3-1. Maclean also broke through for their first win of the year with a tough 1-nil win over Ballina.

Byron Bay and Workers Club played out a 2-all draw on Saturday night at Oakes Oval.

In the Women's First Division there were two hat tricks scored over the weekend. Krystal Gollan, a star over summer with the North Coast Flames, netted three against Thistles in Workers 7-nil victory to take her to the top of the 2004 Golden Boot. The other hat trick came from the boot of Ballina's Emma Turner who scored all of her team's goals against the still-winless Lennox Head.

Byron Bay kept their unbeaten start to the season going with a 2-nil victory over Woodburn while SCU and Rovers fought out a 1-all draw.

The match of the round, which includes a second game on Sunday for six clubs, looks to be the Byron v Rovers clash at Byron on Friday at 7.30pm. Rovers will then back up to face SCU at Uni on Sunday morning, for their second clash in a week.

Krystal clears away

The Northern Rivers Echo is once again sponsoring the Soccer Far North Coast Golden Boot in the Men's Premier Division and Women's First Division.

In the Women's Golden Boot Krystal Gollan has taken the lead after her hat trick against Thistles.

2004 Nothern Rivers Echo Golden Boot

Men's Premier Division

8 - Matthew Olley (Rovers)

5 - Adam Bostock (Byron Bay); Thomas Guttormsen (Workers)

Women's First Division

6 - Krystal Gollan (Workers)

5 - Rose Argent (Byron Bay); Renae McIntosh (Rovers); Renae Cowan (Workers)

Grand night for Brown

Queensland's Garry Brown was victorious on Saturday night when he took out the AJ Magnay $1000-to-win Modified Production Sedan "Blue Ribbon" event at Bartercard Lismore Speedway.

Lismore local Greg Worling started from pole, with Garry Brown alongside him.

Worling dominated the first half of the race until gearbox problems denied him of his chance at victory. Brown inherited the race lead but had to contend with Steve Price, who was now all over his bumper looking for a way around. Price had made a move on Brown for the lead eventually taking the lead with Brown only inches behind.

A fiery battle for the lead between Price and Brown followed, with a bit of biff and barge thrown in to boot.

Withy five laps to go the race was under a yellow caution flag. During the caution, Price was giving the black flag and disqualified from the event for his rough racing tactics.

Brown, once again at the helm, sped away at the restart to take the win.

The next Lismore meeting will be held on Saturday, May 29.

Rats in the ranks at the races

The annual Lismore Turf Club/Southern Cross University race day will be held this Saturday. Along with regular race followers over 1,000 staff and students attend the meeting each year making it second only to the Lismore Cup in its popularity.

This will be the fourth University Race Day, an initiative by the club to help foster interest in racing amongst the younger generation.

The event is a natural fit for the University's executive director and vice=president Malcolm Marshall who worked as a bookmaker's penciller while studying at the University of Canberra. "I love the atmosphere of the racetrack, and the fact that everyone can mix and feel equal." Marshall said. "This event is about encouraging young people to experience yet another aspect of Australian life".

The University and the Turf Club have developed a package for students and staff so that for $5 they can get bus transport to and from the course, entry, refreshments and a BBQ.

Former Secret Life of Us star, Abi Tucker, now living locally, will perform with her band after the final race. There will also be a host of novelty events that patrons can take part in, either for a laugh of for the prizes.

Lop-sided results hurt league - Rugby League

Last weekend wasn't the best weekend one could hope for if you were a local rugby league fan. The closest result in Group One was the 42-20 result for Lower Clarence over Grafton Ghosts. The winning margins in the other three games were 28, 30, and 38 points each. Thankfully the team running second going into the weekend, Byron Bay, had the bye, otherwise there would likely have been another lop-sided match to report on.

This sort of processional match-up hardly represents value for money. Only the Ballina v South Grafton match remained in doubt at half time. South Grafton, hanging on 10-12 at the break, and momentarily leading with 20 minutes to go, were steamrolled in the end 22-50. By all accounts Ballina's performance was a shocker, so South Grafton must have some real concerns.

On the positive side Mullumbimby continued their amazing turn around. Last season they were uninspiring and seemed to be part of the 'filling in the numbers' routine that can seep into country competitions. Nothing could be further from the truth for their 2004 season. This week they accounted for Kyogle 46-16. On reflection the Mullum team may look back on this fixture and wonder why they didn't run in a much larger score. Kyogle are making a song and a dance about being competitive now that they are able to put a reserve grade squad on the park. It takes far more than a few reserves to stop an avalanche in process, which is what playing full back for the Kyogle Turkeys must be like.

Bothers returned to the paddock on Sunday and took their turn at cleaning the surface of the field with the backs of the Casino players jerseys. Not surprisingly they won 48-10.

Lower Clarence did what they needed to to win against Grafton Ghosts but will have to be sharp at home this week against the vastly improved Byron Bay.

Ghosts should beat Casino RSM even though they don't have the home field advantage, but both are in a slump so the result could go either way.

Brothers host Ballina in a game that could prove difficult for the Brethren. Ballina were lucky to win against Lower Clarence and are unlikely to play as poorly again this season.

South Grafton should return to the winners list when they host Kyogle.

Mullumbimby have the bye this week.

Draw, one-pointer and a grand replay - Rugby Union

In a thrilling round of football the FNC Rugby Union First Grade competition looks as though it could be a struggle all the way to the finals for ladder positions.

In the grand final replay between Lismore Greens and SCU Gold Rats the premiers again proved too strong, defeating SCU 28-20. The game was in doubt until the end but Lismore deserved their win thanks to being on-song with their tactical game.

Casino and Wollongbar understand what it means to put on a draw. Not only did they finish their match locked at 17-all, they were also inseparable at the half time break, at 7-all. Again, mid-way through the second half they were tied, this time at 14-all. Penalty goals to both sides meant that the game probably ended with the right result. Neither side showed the command needed to take the win.

Grafton were desperately unlucky not to come away with the points against Ballina. They dominated periods of play and showed great desperation in defence. However, it was Ballina's skill and guile that got them across the line in the end, taking the game 15-14 after a spine-tingling finish that saw Ballina steal the game right on full time through a try to Dru Baggaley.

It will be a case of reality-time on Saturday when the Redmen from Grafton travel to Lismore to take a likely hiding from the Greens.

Ballina and Wollongbar will resume their rivalry while University travel to Casino.