Ford NHL teams shuffling for table positions

Ford NHL teams shuffling for table positions ahead of final weekend

Mens

Canterbury vs John Turkington Forestry Central Mavericks

Canterbury came up against a Central team that needed to get the 4 points from this game to give themselves a chance at making it through to the semi-finals later in the week. Canterbury got themselves on the score sheet early through a Sam Lane field goal in the 7th minute. Central then managed to tie the game up through a goal from Dylan Thomas. Canterbury sent themselves to the half in a good position getting a goal on half time from Lawrence Darling to head to the sheds up 2-1.

Central started the second half with some strong attacking play pushing hard to try and get the equaliser. Eventually that goal came through Jason Peel in the 43rd minute. Dylan Thomas got on the board for the second time in the game after a well converted penalty corner to put Central ahead.

Canterbury struck back through Joshua Pollard to tie the game, making it look like wed see another shootout, but Centrals Hayden Phillips seized on a quick counter attack and ripped a reverse goal from a far out angle to give Central the win. The victory takes Central to 9 points on the table and only one point out of the top 4. Canterbury remains on 14 points.

Full Time: Canterbury 3, John Turkington Forestry Central Mavericks 4

Bayleys Midlands vs Southern

Southern has been showing significant improvements throughout the week and were coming up against a Bayleys Midlands side who, entering the match, still had a mathematical chance to make the semi-finals.

The match was played end to end and saw some great attacking chances. Southern got on the score sheet first with a Malachi Buschl penalty corner. Bayleys Midlands then hit straight back with a Stirling Milicich field goal. The game continued to be played at a fast pace as both teams were pushing for 4 points.

At the end of the 3rd quarter Southern earned a penalty corner where Jack Gilbert scored off a well-executed German option. Southern then extended their lead with another drag flick to Jack Gilbert to make the score 3-1. Midlands pulled their keeper with 10 minutes to go in the game with hopes of pushing for the goals they needed to get the points.

Mark Weber managed to get a last minute goal but it wasnt enough to get Midlands the result. The win moves Southern onto 4 points and gives them their first win of the competition. Bayleys Midlands remains on 4 points and will not be able to make the top 4.

Full Time: Bayleys Midlands 2, Southern 3

Ricoh Capital Cobras vs Auckland

Auckland was coming into this game on the back of some impressive wins. With a win either team would secure their spot in the semi-finals. The first quarter was a tightly fought battle between the two sides. In the 17th minute Auckland had a penalty corner that was saved by the goal keeper. Arun Panchia jumped on the rebound and slotted a straight shot past the goalie.

Auckland then continued to control the game for large periods and found the goal again in the 35th minute with a goal to Joe Crooks to make the score 2-0. The score remained 2-0 at the final whistle, giving Auckland security in the semi-finals. Auckland is now on 14 points, 1 point ahead of capital.

Full time: Auckland 2, Ricoh Capital Cobras 0

Womens

Bayleys Midlands vs Southern

Bayleys Midlands were in need of 4 points from regulation play and came out of the gate firing. 19 minutes in, Midlands converted a well worked penalty corner to Alia Jaques. Midlands kept pushing hard and despite some good defence from Southern, the Midlands girls then put away a second goal from Georgia Morton. At the half the score was 2-0.

Southern continued to fight hard in the game but Midlands managed to put away their 3rd goal from an Amy Robinson penalty corner goal. Midlands managed to seal the victory with two goals in the last minute of the game to Alia Jaques and Amy Robinson.

The victory moves Midlands into 4th spot on the table. Southern is still looking for their first win of the campaign and will come up against Auckland on Thursday.

Full Time: Bayleys Midlands 5, Southern 0

Mark Cromie Holden Northland vs Ricoh Capital Women

The Capital women needed to get a good win in this game to keep them in touch with the top 4 teams of the competition, while Holden Northland team were in danger of losing ground in the final seedings. The Capital women found themselves behind early after Tina Taseka put the Northland girls ahead. Capital worked hard and scored back-to-back goals in the 18th (Maddi McLean) and 24th minutes (Megan Hull) to lead 2-1 at the half.

This looked to be the way that the match was going to end until Ella Gunson slotted home a clutch goal in the final minute of the game to send the match to a shootout. Northland proved too strong in the shootout and their regulation clutch goal scorer stepped up to score the winning shootout goal. The win moves both teams to 8 points and keeps them only 2 points behind the 3rd placed Central Mysticks.

Full Time: Mark Cromie Holden Northland 2, Ricoh Capital Women 2 (Shootout 2:1)

Auckland vs John Turkington Forestry Central Mysticks

The womens table is starting to look like a bottle neck with 5 teams that have 8 or 10 points. This meant that the match between Auckland and Central was going to be really important in setting these teams up for a big push for the remainder of the week. Auckland got themselves up early in the match with two well-constructed field goals to Deanna Ritchie in the 18th minute and Katie Doar in the 24th to make the score 2-0 at half time.

Young gun Kaitlin Cotter scored two goals in quick succession to level the game and set up a thrilling last ten minutes. Auckland managed to secure the in through a Ghalesha Singh goal in the 58th minute for the win. The victory moves both teams onto 10 points and sets up a must-watch second half of the week.

Full Time: Auckland 3, John Turkington Forestry Central Mysticks 2

Tiger Turf North Harbour vs Canterbury

The top of the table match for the womens side of the 2018 Ford NHL was always going to be a tight affair and it didnt fail to disappoint. Both teams were pushing forward and trying to secure the win in regulation. At full time, both team remained scoreless, leaving the game to a shootout.

North Harbour ended up winning the shootout 4-3 when Courtney Winterbottom beat the keeper and sealed the win. This puts North Harbour at the top of the table.

Full Time Tiger Turf North Harbour 0, Canterbury 0 (Shootout 4:3)

Finals to be live streamed

The Womens K Cup Final and the Mens Challenge Shield Final, along with the respective bronze medal games will be streamed live simultaneously on the Hockey New Zealand Facebook page and in full high definition on YouTube.

Click here for the 2018 Ford NHL Womens draw, results and standings.

Click here for the 2018 Ford NHL Mens draw, results and standings.

Click here for the 2018 Ford NHL Media Pack and Accreditation

Click here for the 2018 Ford NHL Team Lists

The 2018 Ford National Hockey League is proudly supported by Ford, Educare, Vantage, Trillian Trust, NZCT, Wellington City Council and Wellington Hockey.



- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Hockey NZ