HOCKEY - Challenging weekend ahead for North men

ITM Northland men know they're up against it in tomorrow's National Hockey League match against North Harbour.
North Harbour beat a handy Central side 3-0 in Hamilton last weekend before going on to beat Canterbury 7-3 on Sunday - the same side that beat Northland 9-2 the previous day.
"It's going to be a tough game for us because they thrashed Canterbury," said the Northland side's young goalkeeper, Jareth Cocking.
Cocking expects a busy time of it in goal because the Harbour side boasts six current internationals - leaving him no illusions how tough if it will be against last season's runners-up.
"We were a lot better on Sunday, though, with tighter marking at the back and our midfield worked hard to hold onto the ball and made more passes.
"We should have won easily really," he said
Northland showed a big improvement in their match against Southern and only a last-minute goal robbed them of their first win of the competition, with Southern rescuing a 2-2 draw.
There's no doubting Harbour's power. Their line-up has three New Zealand development players including Shay Neal and Michael Delaney, who both played with Cocking in Northland's 2006 campaign.
"It's a bit weird when you've played with them all the way through the age-groups and they turn up playing against you - like Michael did in the under-18s this year ...
"I gave him heaps and then they ended up winning, so I'll probably just keep it quiet this weekend," he laughs.
He said the move had worked out well for both players who had made the NZD side since leaving.
Northland will need to get something from the game or the following day's clash against Midlands, in Whangarei, to avoid being on the bottom of the table, come the end of round four.
It would take a brave punter to back Northland against Harbour, and their match against Midlands at Whangarei's ITM Stadium on Sunday isn't a much easier prospect.
Midlands beat Central 3-1 and drew 2-2 with champions Wellington last week and will bring three Black Sticks of their own to the north.
Coach Richard Storey said if Northland can bring their A game then anything is possible.
Two players are in doubt for the match against Harbour, with Carlo Aprea and Bryce Reid both carrying injury concerns.
Both players are hoping to be available for Sunday's match.
Tomorrow's match against Harbour starts at 2pm at Albany, while the match at the stadium against Midlands starts at 1pm.