Premier results give false clues to Hikurangi's form

Hikurangi women's hockey coach Vicki Gribble had contradictory feelings over her side's results in the Northland Premier competition on the weekend.
"We won on Saturday against Kamo High School, but I wasn't happy with how we played - and then we lost on Sunday but I was really happy with the way they played - it was a good game," she said.
Hikurangi had back-to-back matches at ITM Stadium against Kamo on Saturday, followed with Old Girls on Sunday.
It was only in the closing minutes of the game that Hikurangi managed to grab the winning goal for a 2-1 win over Kamo - but, despite the win, Gribble was not pleased.
"We mucked about and didn't play as a team," she said.
After a "more severe" chat to the girls before Sunday's match, Gribble's team produced great hockey, controlling the game for long periods with Melanie Oakden impressively keeping the defence composed. But Hikurangi were unable to find the back of the goal and Old Girls won 3-0.
"The 3-0 score was not a good indication of how the game went," Gribble said.
"We had as many chances as Old Girls but the difference was they slotted the ball."
The win capped a successful weekend for Old Girls, who defeated Maungakaramea 3-2 on Saturday, after playing catch-up hockey for the majority of the match. Maungakaramea had the bye on Sunday.
Following their bye on Saturday, Whangarei Girls High School had a tough match-up with Kamo High School on Sunday, who stepped up after their loss to Hikurangi to draw 0-0.
Meanwhile, the men's teams were in action on Saturday and a new-look Bream Bay side played the premiers Maungakaramea in what turned out to be a nail-biter, but Maungakaramea kept their winning record intact with a 2-1 result.
Coach Dean Child said afterwards it was a hard-fought match.
It seemed last year's wooden-spoon holders are turning into the team to beat in 2009.
"Bream Bay's new coach Dave Adams is doing a really good job at getting them sorted," Child said.
Last year's runners-up, Springfield played Mangapai and won 3-2.