Pennants head to Tolaga Bay

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Tolaga Bay have a great chance of a bounceback performance when they hosts rounds 3 and 4 of the Oligoi Jug men’s interclub pennants tomorrow.

The Uawa club had a disastrous start to the 2023 series at Patutahi last weekend.

They won just one of their eight matches over the two rounds — a 6-2 loss to Poverty and 8-0 whitewash at the hands of Patutahi (1).

But being on home fairways should give them an advantage if their Endeavour men’s pennants team’s performance in their series-opener, also on Saturday, is anything to go on.

Tolaga Bay’s Endeavour side won all six of their matches on their home course to set a hot pace in that series.

Their Oligoi team not only plan to step up tomorrow, they need to.

They are at the foot of the table on two points so will need good points tomorrow to get themselves back on track for a potential semifinal berth.

One change has been made from last Saturday’s four-man squad. Tim Adamson is stepping up from the Endeavour squad to replace Tere Lincoln, joining Taine Lincoln, Neil Hansen and Bruce Yates.

Tolaga Bay face  Electrinet Park (2) and Waikohu tomorrow.

Auckland-based father and son David and Glenn Solomann are once again making the long journey south to join Terry Reeves and Percy Milner in the Waikohu side.

Park (2) are unchanged from last week — Matt Henwood, Craig Christophers, Zach Rolls and Marcus Gray.

Defending champions Park (1) should have Sel Peneha onboard tomorrow after he had to pull out last weekend because of work. Dan Collier and Peter Stewart, with 100 percent records so far, and Silas Brown complete the side.

Poverty Bay will be without the two players — Glenn Morley and Quin McPike — who provided the bulk of their points last Saturday.

Co-selector Simon Jeune will fill one of those holes. American Tony Battistella will make his Oligoi debut in the morning and will be replaced by Nick Richardson, who had a fine pennants series last year, for the afternoon clash.

Early pacesetters Patutahi (1) and second-placed Park (1) face off tomorrow morning and the ’Tahi have a derby against their No.2 team in the afternoon.

Brothers Hukanui and Eddie Brown jr and Dwayne Russell will play in both rounds for Tahi (1) while Shayde Skudder and Dean Pohatu will share a round apiece, as they did last week.

The Tahi (2) team are Jace Brown, Chris Beattie, Reef Pohatu and Regan Hindmarsh.

Te Puia Springs, spearheaded by William Brown and Andrew Higham, will look to make a significant move. Their other two are Wade Wesche and Thomas Donovan.

The Endeavour pennants series also continues tomorrow with Waikohu hosting the round.

Oligoi Jug draw — Round 3: Electrinet Park (1) v Patutahi (1), Patutahi (2) v Poverty Bay, Te Puia Springs v Waikohu, Tolaga Bay v Park (2).

Round 4: Park (1) v Poverty Bay, Patutahi (2) v Patutahi (1), Te Puia v Park (2), Tolaga Bay v Waikohu.

Standings after two rounds: Patutahi (1) 14pts; Park (1) 12; Park (2) 9; Te Puia Springs 8; Poverty Bay 8; Patutahi (2) 8; Waikohu 3; Tolaga Bay 2.