Tight start for men's premier season

Northland premier hockey returned on the weekend.

From one round of hockey it is looking as though the premier men's grade will be a competitive competition, with all teams proving inseparable.

Both games in the men's grade finished as draws as teams looked to get their season off to a winning start. Dempster and Hill Electrical Maungakaramea showed they know how to score goals, the same as Bream Bay, scoring a four-all draw in the process on Saturday.

In the other premier men's match, Currie Electrical Springfield managed a 2-all draw with Morris and Morris Mangapai.

Unfortunately for Mangapai's premier women's team, which is the first in the club's history, they couldn't score any goals - pummeled 19-nil.

It was always going to be a tough day at the office for the Mangapai women, after only getting together about a month ago due to the timing of entering the premier division.

In the other premier women's matches, Club Auto Hikurangi scored a handy 2-nil win over Whangarei Girls' High School. However, the final women's match also ended as a draw. Real Deal Karamea and Gilmore Brown Springfield were locked at 2-all at full time, meaning they each receive a point for the draw.

The weekend was the opening round of hockey for many teams, which meant the new $1.8 million Currie Electrical Turf was put to use. Several players commented on how good the turf was, adding that it would get better in time as the surface gets worn in.