Aggressive attack may make the difference

Rana Vette has been playing for the Northland Women's hockey side for the past 20 years, and has seen a fair bit of talent in her time.
Vette, who first represented Northland as an 18-year-old, reckons this year's contingent is a very gifted side with the potential to reach their goal of making the top four at least in the 2010 National Hockey League.
Boosted by a 2-1 win over rivals Auckland in round one, followed by a "gutting" narrow one goal loss to North Harbour last weekend, both quality sides, the Northland side have built up some confidence ahead of the rest of the tournament which hits off again tomorrow at North Harbour Stadium.
"The standard is high. I think it's a talented team with some great young players like Elley Miller and Melissa Simpson ... the two Australian imports [Hollie Webster and Emma Cobbin] have fitted in really well ... they are well known for their goal scoring and Alan (Lints - Northland Women's coach) hand picked them specifically for that," the 38-year-old midfielder said.
Traditionally Northland have been strong in defence and in the midfield, so Lints is pushing for more aggressive attack up front, which Laura Douglas has contributed nicely to during the first two rounds of the NHL.
"Then with Tania Crene, who is so steady at the back and had two awesome games for us last weekend and Brooke Neal in defence, it's shaping up to be a well-balanced team who have the potential to do really well."
However, Northland are under no illusions as to how tough the next week will be. They have five games left to play in as many days followed by semis and finals next weekend and starting with two tough matches this weekend - against last year's runners-up Midlands tomorrow's , and defending champions Central in Sunday's round four clash.
"They are obviously two we want to win ... in the past they have both been hard to beat," Vette said.
Midlands are an experienced unit, with current Black Sticks players Kate Mahon, Sally Rutherford and Cat Finlayson, and former Black Sticks player Kim Green and Robbie Matthews in the lineup, while Central has retained former Black Sticks players Tara Drysdale and Caryn Paewai but has a relatively new line up to the championship winning team they boasted last year.
After two rounds, the league is evenly matched after the first two rounds as teams shook their cobwebs out and found their straps. The win over Auckland was invaluable for Northland earning them three points - placing them ahead of Midlands who drew with both Harbour and Auckland and on equal points with Central, who beat Southern 2-1 before losing to Canterbury 4-1.
Canterbury were the only women's team to notch up two wins over the weekend and the early leaders. Most teams are without their Black Sticks players, who are preparing for the Commonwealth Games.
Northland women hit off against Midlands at 3.30pm tomorrow and at 5.30pm on Sunday, against Central.