Hockey: Springfield women go top of table

Springfield can say they are the top club in Northland after the women's premier team finally moved past Old Girls into top spot in their competition on Saturday.

Springfield's Kelsey Dunn scored a drag flick in each half to give the side a comfortable lead until Nicola Kelly scored a field goal for Old Girls with four minutes to play. "That turned it into a pretty stressful final five minutes for us, especially when they got a PC," Springfield coach Angeline Waetford said.

Waetford said their keeper Tish Burkhardt was responsible for keeping them in the game with a number of fine saves, particularly in the first spell.

Old Girls' keeper Karen Parker, at the other end, was also busy and it was only the quality of the two drag-flicks that undid her.

Old Girls missed the finishing of Laura Douglas, and they will have to find another finisher with the former Black Stick unavailable for the rest of the season expecting her first child.

In the other games Maungakaramea strengthened their hold on third place with a 2-1 win over Whangarei Girls' High school.

Hikurangi took advantage of a Kamo High School team's lack of cohesion the day after their school ball by belting them 6-0.

Springfield maintained their lead in the men's competition with a 3-all draw against Maungakaramea. Third-placed Bream Bay had a 4-0 victory over Mangapai.