Hockey: Unfancied sides real test for Auckland

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Auckland scored victories in men's and women's national hockey league action yesterday - but only just.

The highly fancied Aucklanders were expected to beat the North Harbour men and Manawatu women comfortably but got home only by the odd goal.

Manawatu were stung by an early Mandy Smith goal in the first of the two Lion Foundation League matches at Pakuranga's Balsam Stadium. They fell further behind in the eighth minute when Meredith Orr scored.

Down but far from out, the visitors grabbed one back through Moira Senior in the 18th minute and 14 minutes from time, Whetu Hamahona scored the goal of the match to bring Manawatu back to 2-2.

It needed a disputed penalty stroke from Smith eight minutes from time to give Auckland their third straight win.

After an even start in the men's game, Auckland went ahead with a deflected Mark Pooley goal in the 19th minute and Sunil Inka beat Harbour goalkeeper Richard Mrkusich with a well-struck penalty corner a minute later.

Stuart Sutherland scored from Harbour's first penalty corner for 2-1 before Robert Towns re-established Auckland's two-goal advantage on the half-hour.

After missing one chance, Richard Redfern scored from a second to close the gap just before halftime.

A superbly worked build-up from man of the match David Kosoof led to Andrew Kay's equaliser five minutes into the second spell. Three minutes later Kosoof had one of his own as the visitors hit the front for the first time.

A Bevan Hari goal from a penalty corner after umpire Craig Gribble had controversially intervened to reduce North Harbour to nine players got Auckland back to 4-4, and Troy Hari grabbed the winner 10 minutes from time.

In another men's game, in Whangarei, Northland beat Midland Express 4-3, with five of the seven goals scored from penalty corners.

Auckland now lead Northland on goal difference on six points with North Harbour a point back.

The North Harbour women play Otago at Rosedale Park tomorrow at midday in a key bottom-of-the-table clash.

Men: Auckland 5 (M. Pooley, S. Unka, R. Towns, B. Hari, T. Hari) North Harbour 4 (S. Sutherland, R. Redfern, A. Kay, D. Kosoof). Halftime: 3-2.

Northland 4 (C. Reynolds 2, J. Nation 2) Midland Express 3 (D. Puna, B. Hopping, C. Knight). Halftime: 2-1.

Women: Auckland 3 (M. Smith 2 inc stroke, M. Orr) Manawatu 2 (M. Senior, W. Hamahona). Halftime: 2-1.