Pictures: JAMES WILTSHIRE

North Albury exacted revenge on Howlong for last year’s grade three Albury and District pennant final defeat with a thrilling one-shot win at home on Saturday.

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The Hoppers finished on top, 69-68, but had it all to do in the dying stages of the match.

Stephen Broad recorded a 30-27 victory against John Dawson and Allen Ross’ rink edged out Paul Baensch’s side 23-21, while the remaining Hoppers’ rink, skipped by Norm Honey, claimed three shots on the final end against Phil Slater’s outfit to finish 16-20 down, but it was enough for North Albury to take the overall spoils.

Incredibly, Honey’s side trailed by 12 shots, but won the last six ends of the match, which included six dead ends throughout, to cut the margin to four and secure nine points for the Hoppers.

“When the other rinks finished we were 8-20 behind,” Honey said.

“We just kept battling away and playing shots to hopefully turn it around and luckily we were able to do so.

“Phil Slater and John Boyd played terrific bowls against us, but we hung in there and narrowed the margin and were lucky enough to get the shots to win.”

A massive 29-13 win for Peter Forck against Brian Linehan was the difference in Henty’s 55-47 victory against Lavington.

The Panthers claimed the other two rinks with Adrian Pantling a 14-11 winner against Kim Maher, while Vic Moore had a 20-15 victory against Gary Kern.

Culcairn also started the season on a high with a hard-fought 55-43 triumph against Commercial.

Darryl Lawson had a 19-15 win against David Barnes, David Moore and Darryl Coventry drew 16-all, while Dave Trebley’s side finished with a 20-12 victory against Les Murphy.

The ladder after round one is: Culcairn 9.5, North Albury 9, Henty 8, Lavington 2, Howlong 1, Commercial 0.5.

Grade five saw Lavington win away to Walla by the barest of margins, 66-65, North Albury held off Commercial, 59-56, Oaklands secured victory at home against Culcairn, 59-50, while Howlong were far too strong for Rand, claiming a 69-38 triumph.

North Albury Yellow defeated Walla 53-51 in the dying stages of their grade six clash, clubmates North Albury Green outplayed Henty, 80-36, Commercial had a big win against Holbrook, 67-38, as did Lavington over Howlong, 73-44.

There was a general bye for grade four.