Hockey: Missed penalty proves costly

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Emma Jensen was one of North Harbour's better players in their hockey league clash with Otago at Rosedale Park yesterday, but for one fleeting moment she had a game she would prefer to forget.

Ahead 2-0, after goals from Katrina Carson and Kerryn Simpson, and seemingly on course for Harbour's first win of the Lion Foundation League season, Jensen stepped forward to take a penalty stroke. But her shot sailed over the Otago goal.

Accepting that let-off, the southerners came back strongly in the second half with goals from Moana McKenzie and Colleen Gubb to force a 2-2 draw. Otago picked up the bonus point in winning the penalty stroke tiebreaker.

The lower half of the women's league points table remains tight. Just three points separate Wellington in third place and North Harbour at the bottom, with Manawatu and Otago sandwiched in the middle.

Wellington, playing at home, added another to the list of surprises on Saturday when they held Canterbury - chasing their seventh consecutive national title - to 2-2. Goals to Rachel Helps and Anna Lawrence had the visitors 2-0 ahead inside 12 minutes.

They retained that lead until the 47th minute when Diana Weavers scored. A second Weavers goal then sent the game to strokes, which Canterbury won 5-4.

Auckland (a perfect nine) lead Canterbury by a point. The top spot will be decided when the longtime rivals meet in Christchurch on Sunday.

While the women's competition is more of the same with Auckland and Canterbury on course for yet another final, the men's race remains wide open.

In Saturday's clash in Christchurch, Wellington and Canterbury played out a 3-3 draw after defending champions Wellington led 2-0 at halftime. The home side got back to 2-2 with goals from Bryce Collins and Mark Ford. A Gareth Brooks goal had Canterbury ahead for the first time, but Roshan Parag's second goal, 10 minutes from time, meant a tiebreaker which Wellington won 5-3.

With just five points between co-leaders Auckland and Northland and bottom-placed Canterbury, the remaining games are vital with most interest in Saturday's clash between Wellington and Auckland.