mmg.com.au

Goulburn Valley’s Australian Open lawn bowls charge will enter at least a third day thanks to triple success in the men’s pairs at Darebin City Bowls Club yesterday.

Hill Top’s Rod Werner and Jeff McNaughton, Shepparton Golf’s Brett Foley and Matt Robertson and Shepparton Golf’s Mal Williams and Shepparton RSL’s Dennis McHarry all won their opening-round men’s pairs matches.

But it wasn’t all successful.

Stanhope duo Merv Harvey and Brad Chegwedden just failed to progress to the round-of-32, losing in a third set tiebreaker, 8-15, 8-4, 0-3.

Shepparton Park’s Col Power also went down in his men’s pairs contest, 7-7, 6-5.

Foley and Robertson lost their second-round singles clashes against Matthew Ellul (8-5, 9-6) and Mathew Pietersen (8-5, 11-6), respectively.

The Goulburn Valley was also 0-2 in the men’s triples event, with Robertson, Foley and Kyabram’s Russell Locke (1-15, 11-8, 0-4) and Werner, McNaughton and Hill Top’s Murray Stark (3-11, 10-2, 1-2) being defeated.

But Werner was thrilled to score a maiden Australian Open win in his second attempt at this level after first competing at the tournament at Shepparton Park two years ago.

‘‘It was good to finally crack one,’’ Werner said about his pairs victory after his men’s triples game last night.

‘‘I played (Australian representative) Nathan Rice in my first time in singles and I got world No. 8 Graeme Archer this time.

‘‘(Archer) was a good bloke and just too good. It was a good experience and it’s good to win one and get into the second round.’’

Archer beat Werner 9-6, 13-2 on Sunday morning.

His triples side was eliminated on the final bowl when the opposing skipper outdrew Werner’s shot bowl.

The winning men’s pairs teams will be back in action today, as will Shepparton Park trio Di Hands, Cathy Dudley and Kate Bush in the first round of the women’s triples.