Springfield played some of their best hockey of the season but it wasn't enough to save them from a 5-0 beating at the hands of Maungakaramea.
With several of their key defenders watching from the sideline, it was left to some youngsters like Ben Smith, Hayden Waetford and Lachie McLeod to
step up in the premier grade encounter.
"Half of our players were age group players who had been away at tournaments over the weekend and I think that the lack of legs got to them in the end," Springfield's Darren Johns said.
Maungakaramea led by just a single goal to John Child from a penalty corner at half-time but the floodgates opened in the second spell.
"We were a bit unlucky with a couple of the goals and then it blew out a bit after that, but I was really proud of the way those young boys stepped up," Johns added.
Bream Bay continued to set the pace at the top of the table with a 3-0 win over Mangapai. They took advantage of Mangapai's sluggish form in the first spell to rattle in three goals before the break with Mike Scott scoring a double and Shay Hooper the other goalscorer.
Mangapai, no doubt still feeling the effects of their centenary celebrations, improved markedly in the second spell to put more pressure on the Bream Bay defence but they were unable to find the net despite going close a number of times.
