Hockey: Late lapse costs WGHS again

Maungakaramea's Heather Easterbrook challenges Springfield's Alana Millington for the ball. Photo / Tania Whyte

Whangarei Girls' High School supporters experienced a sensation of dj vu as their team let a win slip from their grasp for the second time in two weeks in the premier women's hockey competition.

Saturday's game against Old Girls mirrored the previous match for the Girls' High side as they failed to capitalise on another 2-1 advantage in the final minutes of the game.

Claudia King and Taylor Still keep an eye on the action from the sideline. Photo / Tania Whyte

Girls' High coach Alan Moscrip said his players were disappointed they couldn't secure the win but he is happy his young charges are measuring up against the top premier sides.

"We have quite a big new group [of players] who need to be taught about playing premier hockey ... they're only going to grow and learn from that, but we're holding our own," he said.

Jess Macalister opened the scoring for Old Girls in the second quarter of the match but the lead was short-lived as Aimee-Leigh Scott levelled the score off the back of a quick breakout soon afterwards.

Most of the play was end-to-end, with both goalkeepers forced to make crucial saves. In the final quarter Girls' High took the lead from a well-worked penalty corner variation.

Old Girls' then piled on the pressure, and after a sustained attack were able to score off a penalty corner in the final minute to end the game in a 2-all draw.

Moscrip commented after the match, "We need to learn from that ... we need to experience the fails so we know how to win."

In other women's matches on Saturday, Springfield beat Maungakaramea 4-1 and Hikurangi outclassed Mangapai 3-0.

In the premier men's competition, Mangapai took down Maungakaramea 2-1 on Friday night and Springfield beat Bream Bay 3-1 on Saturday.