Hockey: Midlands stay top in Shield with 3-0 victory

Jan Rowsell, right, takes on Canterbury defender Jordy Grant in Auckland's 2-1 win yesterday. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Midlands have maintained their Challenge Shield lead, after a 3-0 win over Capital last night.

But things have tightened at the top in the national league.

After an unpromising start, four wins on the bounce have carried Auckland to 14 points, equal with Southern, but with a superior goal difference, and both three behind Midlands.

Captain Richard Petherick scored with two penalty strokes for Midlands, Matt Rees-Gibbs getting the other goal. Midlands are yet to be beaten in regulation time at the tournament, the only setback a penalty shootout loss against North Harbour.

Auckland beat Central 3-2 yesterday, but it was a close thing. Central led 2-1 going into the final quarter, courtesy of goals by Steve Davison and Ryan Cosgrove, to one by international Marcus Child.

However, star Australian import Jamie Dwyer and former Black Sticks star Ryan Archibald made the difference in the last couple of minutes, with one goal apiece.

Southern needed a shootout to get past Harbour in a goalless match, Nick Ross grabbing the winner in sudden death.

Northland continue to lead the women's K Cup, but this time their win was far from clear-cut against bottom side Southern. The game finished 2-2, and Northland required a penalty shootout win, 3-1, to retain a two-point lead over resurgent Auckland going into today's rest day.

Auckland's third successive win, 2-1 over Canterbury yesterday, has them eyeing the playoffs.

Pippa Hayward had Canterbury in front before international Krystal Forgesson equalised shortly before halftime. The winner came from a firm penalty corner strike by Su Arn Kwek just before three-quarter time. Auckland held off determined Canterbury efforts late on, with up-and-coming Black Sticks defender Liz Thompson a standout.

"It was a good, solid team performance," Auckland coach Jude Menezes said yesterday. "We are getting better with every game."

Defending champions Midlands and Harbour also had wins in shootouts over Capital and Central respectively.

The sixth round will be at North Harbour tomorrow.