HOCKEY: Old Girls beat the young'uns

ChillTech Old Girls remain on top of the Northland Hockey Premier Women's competition after a convincing 4-nil win over Whangarei Girls High School.

While Old Girls hit the front after just two minutes, Old Girls coach Alan Lints gave praise to Girls' High.

"They'll be a team to watch in the next two years. They've got a good nucleus of young talented players," said Lints. "They've picked a team that may not necessarily win the competition this year, but in the future it will."

Laura Douglas starred for Old Girls with a hat-trick of goals - the first coming two minutes into the match on the back of a patient team build up.

Her second came from a penalty corner, leaving Girls High 2-nil down at half time.

Lints said their team tactics started to pay off in the second half. With no defenders coming to meet them on attack, Lints told his team to carry the ball to them.

This tactic paid off as Jess Mcalister was allowed to run the ball to the top of the circle and fire it at the goal and Nicola Kelly put the goal away.

Douglas scored her third goal after, again, no defenders met her. After reaching the circle, Douglas put the shot low and to the goalie's right and into the back of the goal.

Lints, also coach of the Northland Women's hockey team, said Girls High were a team he would give full respect to in future, despite the 4-nil flogging.

In other premier women's games Springfield smashed Hikurangi 5-nil and Maungakaramea beat Kamo 4-nil.

Springfield's premier men's team also held their position on top of the table with a 3-nil domination of Mangapai.

Early in the first half Mangapai came agonising close to scoring, only to have their shot deflect off the post.

Springfield responded through the stick of Dion Watts not long after Mangapai's missed chance. Then a nicely slotted goal by David Neilson gave Springfield a 2-nil lead at the half.

In the premier men's game, Maungakaramea overcame a spirited Bream Bay side 3-1.

This Saturday Bream Bay take on Mangapai and Springfield play Maungakaramea in the men's division. In the women's division Kamo take on Old Girls, Springfield face Girls High, and Maungakaramea play Hikurangi.