Ballarat defeated Mount Xavier 98 shots to 88, after launching a comeback in the final ends of the Ballarat District Bowls Division match away from home on Saturday.

Selector Nathanial Campbell said it was a great team effort to win like they did.

“To come from being down at afternoon tea to win like we did just shows we’re a team that can play finals,” he said.

“We think we can match it with everyone.”

Even with 10 ends to go the side was still down.

Campbell said all four rinks performed outstandingly to get across the line.

“Each rink picked up some shots,” Campbell said.

“It did feel like a finals game – when we were down the way we all rallied.”

In the last few ends Shane Wilson’s team of Reg Robinson, Heather Hopkinson and Stan Barnett took the lead and increased it to 12, after a tight match all day.

The Ballarat team of Taylor Stewart, Brian Gallagher and Nathanial Campbell also had a tight battle throughout but managed a one-shot win.

Ballarat’s Zac Stewart collected shots in the final ends to win by seven, but Paul Ashmore lost by 10.

“There were 17 shots there at one stage and to get it back to 10 helped us to get across the line,” Campbell said.

Ballarat has been having a good run.

It defeated Ballarat East last week and, the week before, took 16 points from Victoria.

But the side has largely gone under the radar of other clubs in the division.

Campbell said the club was talking about finals for the first time in a long time.

“It’s the same 16 people and we’re going about it the same way. We’re just getting the results now,” he said.

“Last week was the first week we got back into the four for a while.

“We do rate ourselves as a genuine finals chance.”

LADDER

1. AVENUE 168 POINTS, 1.061; 2. BALLARAT 154, 1.082; 3. CITY OVAL 151, 1.049; 4. LEARMONTH 144, 1.014; 5. Ballarat East 141, 1.059; 6. Webbcona 139, 1.018; 7. Buninyong 130, 1.001; 8. Mt Xavier 126, 0.962; 9. Victoria 112, 0.928; 10. Creswick 85, 0.847