Hockey: Auckland's double aim stays on rails

By Terry Maddaford

Auckland hopes for the men's and women's hockey league double live on.

Both teams had solid third round victories to consolidate their places at the top of the Lion Foundation League ahead of their vital clashes against perennial rivals Canterbury on Saturday.

The men, with seven different players finding the back of the Wellington goal, won 7-4 away while the women, led by a couple from captain Tina Bell-Kake, beat Wellington 4-1 at home.

North Harbour had their best day of the competition - the men taking two vital points in winning a penalty shootout after finishing level 3-3 with Midland Express at Pukekohe and the women scoring their first goal in going down 6-1 to top seeds Canterbury at Rosedale Park.

In the upset of the weekend, Northland beat John Radovonich-led Canterbury 4-3 in Christchurch - a huge turnaround after being thrashed 11-1 by Auckland six days earlier.

Canterbury had the lead three times during the action-packed affair, but Northland took the lead for the first time in the 58th minute when James Nation snatched the winner with an unexpected drag flick.

Auckland were without injured international centre-half Simon Towns for their game in Wellington.

The visitors took the lead three times in the first half - ahead 3-2 at the break after a last minute Mark Pooley goal. Auckland raced to 5-2 in the second spell, Umesh Parag got one back for Wellington, Kieran Daji and Ryan Archibald stretched the lead to 7-3 before Hemant Lala scored with a penalty stroke to complete the scoring.

As the heat rose late in the game Archibald and Wellington's Mitesh Patel and Phil Burke were sin binned while Andrew Buckley was lucky to survive.

North Harbour spent much of the match at Pukekohe playing catch-up.

Chris Knight and Umesh Hari gave the home side a handy 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes. Patched-up Harbour captain Shane McLeod fired home a 31st- minute penalty corner to get his side back into the match.

Fourteen minutes into the second spell Richard Redfearn grabbed the equaliser but nine minutes from time Blair Hopping was rewarded for a solid game when he put the combined side back in front.

In the dying minutes Harbour snatched the equaliser when Craig Russ rifled home another penalty corner.

In the shootout North Harbour scored five from five while Midland Express kept in touch until Robbie Towns missed the fourth attempt.

Canterbury needed 21 minutes to opening the scoring against a spirited but outplayed North Harbour women's team.

Led by standout Anna Lawrence, Canterbury scored three in the first half, and raced to 5-0 before Megan Quedley, from a penalty corner, smashed home her team's first goal of the season.

Jaimee Provan had the last say as Canterbury got home 6-1 with Provan, Lawrence and Michelle Turner all grabbing a couple.

North Harbour are at home in a double-header on Saturday with both having crucial games - the men against Northland and the women Hawkes Bay/Wanganui.