Hockey: Maungakaramea prevail in shootout

Maungakaramea player/coach David Adams sweeps against Mangapai. Photo / John Stone

Dempster & Hill Maungakaramea staved off a youthful Morris & Morris Mangapai team to secure the 2015 premier men's title in a thrilling grand final.

With the scores locked 4-all at the end of regular play, the game went into extra time but a winner still couldn't be found which led to a golden goal shootout.

Praising the gallant effort of his man in goal, Brad Pitman, who helped his side clinch the penalty shootout, Maungakaramea coach David Adams said the atmosphere in the dying stages was electric.

"One team would score and then two minutes later the other team would get the goal back and it kind of just see-sawed like that ... it was a good game really," Adams said.

"We played well though we probably didn't play as well as we have done in the month or so leading into it.

They [Mangapai] didn't really allow us to play the way we had been playing, for quite a young side I've got to give them full credit."

With the game played at high intensity from the start, both sides scrapped for loose ball in the midfield throughout.

A standout for Mangapai was senior player Richard Redfearn who scored all of his side's goals during regular play.

"He showed that he's still capable of putting the ball in the back of the goal which is always important," Adams said of the opposition striker, Redfearn.

"Everyone did their job and played pretty well really. Even on their side everyone stood up which made it such a good game."

Meanwhile, Currie Electrical Springfield managed to finish their season on a high after winning the playoff for third vs fourth 6-4 over Bream Bay United on Friday night.