It was a tight tussle between Whangarei Boys' High School and Bream Bay in their premier men's hockey match on Saturday with Boys' High, coming out eventual winners 4-2.
WBHS went two goals up early in the game through Rio Tuson and Cameron Lindsay but Bream Bay fought back to equalise going into halftime with goals from Kieran Lynn and Nui Meuli-Hemara.
Bream Bay coach Vicki Gribble praised her side's defence for keeping them in the game.
"It is just learning to be disciplined and sticking to the game plan and I think they did that really well," Gribble said.
She added that her goalkeeper Adam Taylor played outstandingly and the defence worked well around him to keep WBHS out.