Northland premier hockey: Whangārei Girls' High School topple Springfield

Whangārei Girls' High School's Claire Donnelly opens her team's scoring account on Saturday as she beats Springfield goalkeeper Nicky Howes. Photo / Neal Martin

Springfield have registered just their second loss of Northland's premier women's hockey season with a 2-1 defeat to Whangārei Girls' High School on Saturday.

The dominant women's team, who have also won eight and drawn two of their 14 games (two byes), are confirmed as the regular season winners going into the finals in two weeks. However, Springfield's confidence may have taken a hit after a tight loss to the school team this weekend.

Whangārei Girls' High School (WGHS) drew first blood in the first half as under-15 player, Claire Donnelly, scored past Springfield goalkeeper Nicky Howes. WGHS doubled their lead in the third quarter, set up by another younger player, Sofia Trigg.

Whangārei Girls' High School's Rosemary Reed (right) chases down Springfield's Jessica Polo. Photo / Neal Martin

Despite Springfield getting a goal back later in the game, the school team were able to hang on to their one-goal lead and all but confirmed their second-place spot with a game against a winless Hikurangi this coming Saturday.

"[I'm] pretty happy, it was a slightly under-strength Springfield so I'm not getting too carried away with the win," WGHS coach Dave Adams said.

"I thought our counter-attack was good, we created a few good opportunities and our two young under-15 girls [Donnelly and Trigg] had parts in both goals."

Adams said the win would be good for the team's confidence after games where late goals had been conceded. He felt holding on in these tense games would be good preparation for the upcoming finals.

Springfield's Jessica Polo (right) clashes with Whangārei Girls' High School player Alice Donnelly for possession. Photo / Neal Martin

"[Springfield] had a few pretty good chances to sneak a draw at the end, it was a bit of learning for our girls in closing out the game.

"We certainly need to get some plans in place for how to finish off games if we are lucky enough to be in front in the semifinal."

Springfield women's coach Angeline Waetford said she was missing three experienced players, two through injury, which hampered their progress against WGHS. With a bye next week, she hoped those players would return come the final stages.

"I guess we are fortunate we have the bye this week and a break as well so it will be three weeks by the time we play the semifinal and hopefully they will be alright."

With key players missing, Waetford said she employed different tactics from what had been used earlier in the season and admitted it didn't quite go to plan.

"We hardly got to the circle in the first half, but we got more attacking in the second half," she said.

"I was going to persist with it all game, but I changed it at halftime to what we are used to playing, we were much better.

"The team is too young to deal with drastic changes like that, in saying that we bought two players up from reserve grade and they did really well."

A dominant Springfield unit had to be on the defensive on Saturday, seen here defending a penalty corner against Whangārei Girls' High School. Photo / Neal Martin

Even after her team's success in the premier competition this year, Waetford said she believed WGHS could be one of the strongest units on their day.

"I've been of opinion when [WGHS] get their game together, they would be the team to beat, just their sheer fitness and speed is superior to any other team in the competition."

Looking ahead to the finals, Waetford said her team would use their three week break to work on their skills and possibly tee up a practise match against another premier team to develop their confidence and self-belief.

"It's been awhile since we've had a win so it's just getting some belief back into our game, we know we can do it, it's just making sure it happens on the field."

Waetford, who has been involved in hockey up to a national level, felt this year's competition showed where Northland needed improving if the region wanted to compete at the highest level.

"I don't think we are fit enough and I think we are not committed enough to club and representative hockey, but we definitely could be a lot better than what we are," she said.

"I keep harping on, [teams] have got to get the basics right then worry about doing the fancy stuff after that, but we've got a long way to go."

In the round's other game, Hikurangi drew 2-all with Old Girls. In Northland's premier men's competition, Maungakaramea beat Bream Bay, 5-2 while Springfield beat Whangārei Boys' High School, 2-0.