Hockey: Goals flow as Auckland start well

The Auckland men are without injured Black Sticks striker and co-captain Simon Child. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Two games, two wins, bundles of goals; defending champions Auckland could scarcely have got their men's Challenge Shield campaign off to a better start.

Having toppled Northland 8-0 in their opening round game, Auckland followed up yesterday with a 4-1 win over Midlands in Tauranga in the second round of the National Hockey League yesterday.

For Auckland's women, aiming to go one better than last year's runners-up finish in the K Cup, things weren't quite as successful.

They followed a 4-3 win over Northland on Saturday with a penalty shootout loss to Midlands.

The Auckland men are without injured Black Sticks striker and co-captain Simon Child, but English international Simon Egerton is making his presence felt.

He scored three goals on Saturday, and added another yesterday, with other contributions from Joe Crooks (three for the weekend), Michael Ritchie and Jonathan Bilkey. International Andy Hayward got Midlands' goal from a penalty corner.

"It is very early days but we have started pretty well," Black Sticks captain and Auckland's defensive organiser Dean Couzins said last night.

"We've scored some nice team goals and defended well as a team so we're reasonably happy."

Egerton is providing a calming influence, according to Couzins.

"His coaching off the pitch around different things we're doing is pretty positive and he does have a pretty reasonable corner on him, which gives us a bit of variety and threat," Couzins said.

International midfielder Ryan Archibald is back in action after being unavailable for the Black Sticks, which further bolsters Auckland's squad.

"There's probably three or four teams with designs on winning that title. But the way the NHL is set up you have to get enough points to make the top four," said Couzins.

International striker Katie Glynn scored a hat-trick in Saturday's 4-3 win over Northland and got another yesterday late on as Auckland battled back from 2-0 down to Midlands. Samantha Harrison added a second just before the finish, but Midlands won the penalty shootout 2-1.

Defending women's champions Canterbury started with two wins, 5-0 over Southern and 1-0 yesterday against Central.

North Harbour's men got a win and a loss out of the weekend; the women a brace of defeats.

All remaining rounds, starting from this Saturday, will be played at North Harbour.