HOCKEY - Problems in goal put paid to school hopes

One of the weekend's most anticipated hockey matches was robbed of much of its intensity by injury on Saturday.
The top-of-the-table women's premier clash between Maungakaramea and Whangarei Girls High School was turned into a one-sided affair with the injury and subsequent withdrawal of Girls High goalkeeper Rachael Lecky midway through the second spell.
Lecky unselfishly, but unwisely as it turned out, tried to return prematurely from a groin injury after High School's reserve keeper was unavailable through illness on Saturday.
She had already conceded two goals from Jodie Nichol and Natalie Child before re-injuring her groin, forcing her from the field and leaving the champion High School side without a replacement keeper and without much of a chance in the match.
The students conceded another two goals, with Nichol claiming a second and Anna Thorpe getting on the board, before Jade McLeod scored a great goal to give High School something to take away from a disappointing match.
The other two matches in the women's competition were both very close with Hikurangi only just getting home 1-0 against United-Kawakawa on Friday night, thanks to a Jo McQueen goal.
The score was repeated on Saturday when Kamo High School almost scored their second result in as many weeks, before they were finally subdued by a Claire Jenkins goal. Both teams earned several chances to score but the defences and some poor finishing gave the scorer a slow day.
Maungakaramea continued their rapid ascent up the men's premier table with a 2-0 victory over Bream Bay United. Both sides were unlucky in the scoring circle in a scoreless first period before Vaughan Gillingham opened Maungakaramea's account by finishing off a Graeme Bint cross. Ian Page scored the second shortly afterward to wrap up the team's third win in a row.
Mangapai remain on top of the table with a 1-1 draw against second-placed Springfield after neither team was able to dominate the match for long enough to claim the points. Mangapai went ahead in the first spell but Bevan Gibbes equalised in the second.