Auckland and Canterbury women’s teams, and Auckland men are on top of their respective competitions after today’s second round of the Ford National Hockey League (NHL).
Today’s two feature matches were at Auckland’s Lloyd Elsmore Hockey Stadium between Auckland and Midlands men’s and women’s sides – who were all unbeaten after yesterday’s first round.
Auckland men were a class above their Midlands counterparts as two early goals set up the home side for their 4-0 victory. But the women’s clash went right down to the wire.
Midlands women were a different side from their timid performance yesterday and after a classy Stacey MacDonald goal in the second spell they threatened to take the lead. But former Black Stick Honor Carter ended their hopes with four minutes to go as she latched on to a brilliant pass from captain Jan Rowsell to secure the 2-1 victory.
Canterbury joined Auckland at the top of the women’s competition with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Central in Levin.
In other women’s games, Capital and Southern drew 1-1 in Dunedin with the visitors grabbing the bonus point with a 3-2 penalty shoot-out victory. North Harbour convincingly beat Northland 6-0 with Black Stick Petrea Webster collecting a hat trick.
In the men’s league, Southern were lucky to escape with a 4-3 win over Capital in Dunedin thanks to a last minute goal from Jason Dungey which saw his diving touch go past the keeper.
Central got their campaign back on track beating Canterbury 3-0 in Levin, while Northland upset North Harbour in a penalty shoot-out after they were locked at 3-3 at fulltime.
The Ford NHL continues with rounds three to seven, semifinals and finals at Auckland’s Lloyd Elsmore Hockey Stadium from 25 August to 2 September. Both finals are on Sunday 2 September.
ENDS
Ford NHL results
Women: Southern 1 (Phillipa Symes) Capital 1 (Kirsty Cole) 3-2 to Capital in a penalty shoot-out. HT:1-0 Southern.
Auckland 2 (Anna Wetherall, Honor Carter) Midlands 1(Stacey MacDonald) HT:1-0 Auckland
North Harbour 6 (Petrea Webster 3, Natasha Fitzsimons 2, Carli Michelsen) Northland 0. HT:2-0
Canterbury 3 (Bridget Blackwood, Sian Fremaux, Olivia Merry) Central 0 HT: 1-0
Men: Southern 4 (Kane Russell 2, Rob Paterson, Jason Dungey) Capital 3 (Steve Crossett, Matt L’Huillier, Jacob Smith) HT: 1-1
Auckland 4 (Dwayne Rowsell, Ben Radovonich, Marcus Child, Joe Crooks) Midlands 0. HT: 3-0
North Harbour 3 (Joseph Bartholomew 2, Sean Laidlaw) Northland 3 (Lloyd Gurr, Tom Ryan, Sam Webb) 3-2 to Northland in a penalty shoot-out. HT: 2-2.
Central 3 (Robin Smith, Ryan Cosgrove, Nick Wilson) Canterbury 0 HT:1-0
Hockey New Zealand Press Release
