Hockey: Gender divide in play-off prospects

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Auckland coaches Keith Rowley and Simon Norton face different challenges heading into this weekend's penultimate round of the national league.

As coach of the unbeaten men's team, Rowley knows maximum points from tomorrow's game against Midland Express in Hamilton should guarantee the top qualifying spot for next weekend's play-offs.

For Norton the challenge is much greater.

His new-look women's team are in danger of not making the top four, thereby losing any chance of a third successive league crown in the Lion Foundation-sponsored competition.

Both Auckland teams are in Hamilton tomorrow, with the women's game against Waikato perhaps the more important.

In fifth place with just one win, the Auckland women will be keen to get their season back on track when they meet a Waikato side one point and one place above them.

Auckland, who face their last round-robin match against old rivals Canterbury on Thursday night, need points tomorrow to keep their survival hopes alive.

Co-leaders Canterbury and Manawatu meet this afternoon in Palmerston North and could decide the top seeding for the play-offs.

Rowley said his team had yet to play their best hockey but they were still good enough for three-from-three and a three-point lead.

"We are expecting a hard game," he said.

"In my first season in the job we went down to Hamilton and got our bottoms spanked 3-1. We are certainly taking it seriously."

With goals coming at better than six a game, the men's league has produced some exciting hockey.

Last year's beaten finalists, North Harbour, finally kickstarted their season with a home win over Midland Express last weekend, but they will be up against it tomorrow in an away game against Wellington.

In the other men's game, Northland are at home to Canterbury, with the Northerners, second to North Harbour in 2000, desperate to keep their season alive and drag themselves away from any threat of relegation.