TAREE will look to break a lengthy drought in the Lower North Coast District Golf division one pennants on Sunday in the last round game against Forster at Port Macquarie.
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The sides are joint leaders going into Sunday. However, it will be winner takes all, as a draw won't be of any benefit.
"We're both a point ahead of Wauchope,'' Taree captain Tony Lewis said.
"Wauchope plays Tallwoods on Sunday and they would be favoured to beat them. So we need to win to claim the pennant.''
Teams of six are involved in match play. Taree's chances have taken a hit with the unavailability of Lower North Coast champion Craig Allport, who is overseas.
Lewis went into the season with a squad of 10 - Lewis, Matt Walz, Craig Allport, Peter Doherty, Steve O'Donoghue, Brent Yarnold, Michael Ball, Jimmy Weekes, Nathan Gibson and Danny Bisby. He was due to name his starting six last night.
"It's been very competitive in division one this year,'' he said. "Unfortunately weather has played a part in some of the results, but we can't do anything about that.''
Taree was to play Kew last Sunday at Harrington Waters but this was ruled out due to rain, so the contest was declared a draw and Lewis admits that did the side no favours.
He said Forster will be formidable and will start favourites.
"Craig (Allport) is obviously a loss, but hopefully the rest of us can step up,'' Lewis said.
We have to back our ability - we've put ourselves in a good position, so we have to make the most of it
- Taree's number one pennant team captain Tony Lewis
"We have to back our ability - we've put ourselves in a good position, so we have to make the most of it.
"If we're successful it will mean a lot, especially for guys like Matt Walz and Peter Doherty, who have been playing for years.''
Walz, Doherty and Steve O'Donoghue will be key players for Taree, Lewis said.
Doherty was part of Taree's last division one winning team and he thinks that could have been as far back as 1996. So it's been a while between drinks.
"We had Greg Turner, Frank Mialo and Lee Edwards back then, it was a pretty good side,'' he told the Times during an interview last year.
Chasing championship record
Meanwhile Walz will start his campaign to win a record ninth club championship tomorrow at Taree in the first of four rounds. Walz and Doherty both have eight titles.
Walz has been the dominant player in the event in recent years, with Doherty more often than not the runner-up. Doherty's last win was in 2009 when he moved clear of Clive Nelson.
"Matt's playing good golf,'' Lewis said.
"I'd say it will be between Matt, Doh (Doherty) and Steve (O'Donoghue)."
Two further rounds will be played next weekend and the last the following weekend.
