Mount Maunganui's Intercity hockey campaign is back on track with a win over Tauranga rivals Ōtūmoetai.
CMS Mount Maunganui were 5-2 winners in the women's Intercity Trophy fixture on Saturday, bouncing back from their one-goal loss to Rotorua Aces, who are unbeaten this season.
Mount Maunganui built well to earna 4-0 lead at halftime and coach Narayan Singh they kept a similar structure to their loss to Aces. He says they moved the ball well against Ōtūmoetai but conceded late goals.
"We didn't button off, we just lost a bit of shape due to some tired legs. We just need to identify when we are losing our shape a bit earlier."
Mount Maunganui will play unbeaten Hamilton Old Girls in round four on Saturday and Singh expects it to be a good game to watch.
"They have some good players in the mix, they will play quite a structured, disciplined shape. It will be quite open as we both like to use the space a lot."
Recent years has seen hockey adopt quarters, as opposed to halves, for the timing of senior games and Singh says it has it benefits.
"You have to look at what they are doing, we like to have number dominance and we break it down into sections. We want to get out of our own half, out in numbers into our shape and keep going forward with that.
"Playing in quarters is good, it is a lot easier to relay information and make small adjustments. It comes down to game awareness and we have key players in key areas, but we have to make sure we are on the same page."
Each team plays eight games in the first phase of the competition, before splitting into a top-five, bottom four set up. Mount Maunganui has the bye in the final week and Singh is wary of being in the right position.
"You really don't want to drop more than two games, but we make an effort not rely on other people's results."
Mount Maunganui's Intercity hockey campaign is back on track. Photo / File
In the men's Intercity Cup, Rotorua Aces are also unbeaten as their prolific scoring continued. They beat Hamilton side Suburbs 5-4 and after leading 2-0, Aces relinquished the lead but came back to level the scores at four-all in the final quarter.
Steven Holloway provided the match-winner for Aces, scoring from close range in the final minute. Aces coach Jamie Carrols says while he is happy with the result, he is not entirely satisfied with the way his team won.
Aces have a Rotorua derby match against Bay of Plenty Indians in round four this Saturday.
Intercity hockey results for Saturday, May 11: Men's Intercity Cup: Aces 5 Suburbs 4. Bay of Plenty Indians 1 Onewhero-Pukekohe 1. Te Awamutu 3 Kohekohe 0. University 2 Hamilton Old Boys 1. Collegians 2 Pukekohe Indians 2. Tauranga Old Boys 2, Fraser Tech 0.
Women's Intercity Trophy: Hamilton Old Girls 5 Waiau Pa 0. CMS Mount Maunganui 5, Ōtūmoetai Magic. Fraser Tech 6, University 1. Marist St Michaels 0, Aces 5.
Intercity hockey draw for Saturday, May 18: Men's Intercity Cup: Aces v Bay of Plenty Indians, Rotorua, 3.30pm. Suburbs v Te Awamutu, Hamilton, 3.30pm. Onewhero-Pukekohe v University, Hamilton, 2pm. Kohekohe v Collegians, Pukekohe, 3.30pm. Hamilton Old Boys Tauranga Old Boys, Mount Maunganui, 3.30pm Pukekohe Indians v Waiau Pirates, Pukekohe, 5pm.
Women's Intercity Trophy: Hamilton Old Girls v Mount Maunganui, Mount Maunganui, 2pm. Waiau Pa v Fraser Tech, Pukekohe, 3.15pm. Marist St Michaels v Ōtūmoetai Magic, Rotorua, 2pm. University v Te Awamutu, Hamilton, 3.15pm. Aces, bye.
