Hockey: Harbour fire up to beat Aucklanders

'We're pretty satisfied,' Black Sticks attacker Krystal Forgesson said last night. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The identity of the opposition played a part in North Harbour rediscovering top form in the National Hockey League yesterday.

Auckland manage to draw something extra out of their crosstown rivals, according to veteran former international Dave Kosoof, and so it proved yesterday at North Harbour where the hosts toppled the defending champions 5-3 to shove themselves up into the Challenge Shield semifinal reckoning.

Three penalty corner drag flick goals from Joseph Bartholomew and two more from veteran Jan Peterson ensured a well-merited win. Dwayne Rowsell, Sam Miskimmin and an own goal kept Auckland in the hunt.

Auckland's women had a weekend to be chuffed about.

They toppled defending champions Canterbury 4-2 on Saturday, in a repeat of last year's final, then squeezed past Capital 3-2 yesterday to sit one point clear at the top of the K Cup table.

"We're pretty satisfied," Black Sticks attacker Krystal Forgesson said last night. "We knew we were playing the top two teams and had to step up."

Forgesson was pleased with the improved intensity over the weekend.

"We needed to be a little more aggressive, win the 50-50 balls and put pressure on their key players," she said.

North Harbour's women enjoyed themselves too, with wins over Southern - rooted to the foot of the table and still goalless after four games - and a 6-1 romp against Central yesterday.

The fifth round of games is at North Harbour today while Auckland's washed-out game against Southern from Saturday will be played tomorrow, the scheduled rest day.