Northland premier hockey: Whangarei Girls' High School snatch late winner

Maungakaramea's Arriane Christie in their clash against Whangārei Girls' High School earlier in the season. Photo / File

Whangārei Girls' High School's (WGHS) premier women's hockey team scored a last-minute goal to survive a late comeback from Maungakaramea on Saturday at the Northland Hockey Centre.

Only split by one point going into this Northland premier women's competition fixture, second-place was up for grabs for whoever could come out on top, and it looked to be the schoolgirl team taking the initiative with a 2-0 lead at halftime.

After a tense third quarter, Maungakaramea scored two quick goals early in the fourth to level the score with about 10 minutes to go. With only 90 seconds left on the clock, WGHS striker Charlotte Overwater proved the difference with a deflection which lobbed over the Maungakaramea keeper and won the game.

"When [Maungakaramea] scored two goals in pretty quick succession, it put us under pressure," WGHS coach David Adams said.

"To [WGHS'] credit, they managed to hold their nerve, come back and score the winner."

Adams commended his team on their counter-attack and use of pace in the first half, but he advised the girls at halftime to keep the pressure on their opposition.

"I was trying to emphasise that the next goal was going to be important because 2-0 is always a tricky scoreline," he said.

"I don't think we came out with the right attitude and intensity in the second half and the start of the last quarter, where we needed to make sure we put them away and we just about didn't do it."

Trailing by nine points to league leaders Springfield, Adams was happy with his team's progression looking ahead to the knockout stages.

"This is my third year coaching and we have struggled until the knockout games when we tend to get everything together, but this year we seem to be more than competitive which is pretty pleasing."

In the round's other game, Springfield overcame Hikurangi, 2-0. In the premier men's hockey competition, Mangapai beat Whangārei Boys' High School, 4-2 and Springfield beat Bream Bay United 2-0.