Maungakaramea ready to fight

After a strong back end of the season, Maungakaramea are feeling confident heading into the first round of playoffs this weekend.

The Dempster and Hill Electrical Maungakaramea team defeated Mangapai, 3-1, in the last round robin match of the Northland men's premier competition on Saturday. The win confirmed their top of the table status, and skipper Sam Webb is adamant his side can continue its form this Saturday, when they meet the second-ranked Bream Bay United.

They are very familiar with the style of play Bream Bay produces having met them several times already during the competition. Bream Bay have won two of their four encounters, while Maungakaramea have won one, and the teams have drawn the other match.

"We have a very experienced team but we will just have to see what happens on the day. Bream Bay have a good counter-attack and we will be wary of that - other than that we will try to hang onto the ball for as long as possible," Webb said.

Maungakaramea will be full strength for Saturday's game against Bream Bay, who won their match with Currie Electrical Springfield, 2-1, in the final round robin match.

The winner of Saturday's one versus two match progresses through to the final on October 1, while the loser gets a second chance, playing the winner between the third place Mangapai versus fourth placed Springfield, on September 24.

Mangapai play Springfield at 4.50pm this Saturday, followed by Maungakaramea and Bream Bay, at 6.20pm.

Meanwhile, in the premier women's competition, Chilltech Old Girls snuck to the top of the table ahead of Gilmore Brown Springfield on points differential. The two dominant teams of the competition won their respective games on the weekend - Old Girls defeated Maungakaramea 3-0, while Springfield beat Kamo High School 3-1.

Hikurangi and Whangarei Girls' High School drew 2-2.

In the first round of playoffs this Saturday, Old Girls play sixth placed Kamo at 12.20pm, Springfield A play fifth placed Hikurangi at 1.50pm, while Maungakaramea, third, play the fourth-ranked WGHS at 3.20pm - all games are at Rosvall ITM Hockey Stadium.