Hockey: Midlands top hockey league thanks to hard core

Auckland's women got their K Cup campaign moving with wins over defending champions Midlands 2-0 - goals from Sam Harrison and Krystal Forgesson - and 2-1 over North Harbour. Photo / File

A strong spine has helped Midlands make a rousing start to the men's Challenge Shield in the national hockey league.

Midlands, drawn from the Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Thames Valley and Counties areas, lead the table after four of the seven rounds with 13 points, following weekend wins over Canterbury 3-2, and Northland 5-2, yesterday at North Harbour, which will host the rest of the tournament this week.

"We're pretty happy with progress," coach Simon Brill said last night. "Canterbury was a big game for us, they have a strong side and good bunch of national players, so that was a great result.

"Northland was about us going through good processes so we're really happy with eight points from the last two days."

The core of senior players was well supported by rising young talent, Brill said, singling out Nic Woods for a very bright future. Australian international Tim Deavin and captain Richard Petherick, closing in on 100 national caps, offered the wise older heads.

Petherick got two goals yesterday, Leo Mitai-Wells, Jonty Keaney and Woods one each.

Auckland squeezed past North Harbour in a penalty shoot-out on Saturday and backed up with a 2-1 over perennial rivals Canterbury yesterday, Tom Loudon and Jonny Bilkey getting the goals.

Harbour, comfortable winners over Central yesterday, were left to rue that lost shoot-out while Southern made a significant leap late yesterday with their 3-1 win over Capital - goals from Nick Ross, Kim Kingstone and Jason Dungey gave them two wins over the weekend and second spot.

Auckland's women got their K Cup campaign moving with wins over defending champions Midlands 2-0 - goals from Sam Harrison and Krystal Forgesson - and 2-1 over North Harbour, when Harrison and Su Arn Kwek scored, Amie Judge getting Harbour's goal.

Midlands came back with a penalty shoot-out win over Canterbury yesterday but Northland, with two goals from Carli Michelsen and a penalty stroke from Ella Gunson, beat Central to keep their perfect record and sit top of the table.