Bream Bay United have stamped their dominance on Northland's premier men's hockey competition early in the season, after their round four victory over Springfield left them as the only unbeaten team to date.
While Springfield threatened to score on several occasions during the first half, it was the Bream Bay striker
Geoff Nankerville who finally found the goal to put his team into the lead heading into halftime.
Bream Bay gained momentum as the game progressed, and 10 minutes into the second half, Max Lidderman sent a field goal in to extend the lead. Springfield's Jimmy Watene closed the gap with a successful drag-flick from a penalty corner before Bream Bay's young striker Keeley Johnson replied with another field goal, scoring from a fast-breaking counter attack when Springfield's defence slackened.
Watene took another penalty corner and found the goal to take the score to 3-2, but they were not hungry enough and let Bream Bay run away with the match.
Johnson sealed the 4-2 win with his second goal on the counter-attack with 10 minutes remaining.
In the other men's game, Maungakaramea's Vaughan Gillingham was in form for his side during their clash with the second-placed Mangapai contingent.
The teams were scoreless at the break, but Maungakaramea picked up the pace during the second half, and Gillingham, playing at centre striker, found the back of the goal twice to give his side a much-needed win.
Last year's premiers were in fourth place heading into the match, but now sit on equal points with Springfield, in third. Both the round eight premier women's matches between Hikurangi and Springfield, and Maungakaramea and Old Girls were deferred to a later date, due to Gabrielle Gunson's funeral service, but the evening match between Kamo High School and Whangarei High school was played.
Whangarei Girls' High won 3-0 with goals from Samaria Tugaga, Arnica Palmer and Ariana Tugaga.
