Hockey: Thrills goal-lore in semifinals

If the semifinals of the Northland premier club hockey competition are anything to go by, next week's finals will be something magical to behold.

Two out of the three semifinals on Saturday went into overtime and one of those matches was finally decided by a shootout, leaving the fans drained, but looking forward to more top class action this weekend.

Hikurangi will play rivals Old Girls in the women's final after both sides triumphed in thrillers, while Maungakaramea beat Bream Bay 5-4 in overtime to reach the men's final against Mangapai.

Hikurangi coach Meredith McInnes said she felt that her side are reaching their peak at the right time of the season.

"I think we played the best hockey we have all season and it's a nice time to be saying that when you're playing in your first weekend of finals," she said.

McInnes thought that the team had the measure of Springfield for much of Saturday's match but despite taking the lead twice, they couldn't maintain their lead.

Megan McGregor put Hikurangi ahead early but Springfield were back on level terms by half-time. Hikurangi went ahead with a Jo McQueen goal but Springfield again equalised with Alana Millington scoring ten minutes from time to take the game into extra time.

The teams were still level after two periods of extra time with nine-aside and then seven-aside before the game went into a shootout.

Hikurangi goalkeeper Nicky Mathews stepped up to limit Springfield to just one goal by Jade McLeod, whereas Toni Wright and Alyse Morgan hit the backboard for Hikurangi to see them through to the final.

The other women's semifinal also provided great value for spectators with top ranked Old Girls beating fourth-ranked Maungakaramea 3-2 after trailing for most of the match.

Maungakaramea had done their homework, rocking Old Girls early and racing to a 2-0 lead with goals by Anna Thorpe and Jane Thompson. The game seemed to be slipping away from the favourites until two Jess McAllister goals - both from Nicola Kelly crosses - saw them back on level terms.

The winner came from a goalmouth melee a minute from time but the result might have easily have gone the other way. The return of Ella Gunson gave Maungakaramea real momentum at the right time of the season but Old Girls proved good enough and lucky enough to take their place in the final.

Maungakaramea's long time rivalry with Mangapai will continue in this weekends men's final after they did it the hard way against defending champions Bream Bay.

Bream Bay were always chasing the game but showed great resolve to equalise within 30 seconds of the final whistle to force extra time. The end was slightly anti-climatic with Brett Hood tapping in the winner after a defensive error in the opening minute of extra time.

Earlier Brandon Ford and Sam Webb had given Maungakaramea a two-goal lead at half-time. Webb added a penalty stroke and Sean Laidlaw a deflection in the second spell, while Bream Bay's goals were scored by Gary Sands, an own goal by Maungakaramea and a double, to Harry Lamb.