After losing the 2012 final to Canterbury, the Auckland women took revenge with a 4-2 win over Canterbury in the third round of the National Hockey League at North Harbour Hockey Stadium today.
Canterbury played impressively for most of today's clash of the favourites but struggled to score. Auckland werein devastating form, with Krystal Forgesson scoring a double to seal the result.
The win sees Auckland consolidate second on the table (9 points) behind an undefeated Capital outfit (12 points).
Capital beat Midlands 1-0 in a tight encounter which has seen them emerge as the team beat after three wins from three games and an impressive goal differential of 11 goals scored and just one against.
Earlier, two goals from Michaela Curtis gave the Central Mysticks a 2-0 victory over the Northland women in the opening game. North Harbour women battled to a 2-0 win over Southern as the rain pelted down in the last women's game of the day.
In the men's competition, the feature game between Southern and Auckland was postponed due to heavy rain and flooded turfs. The game will be played later in the week during a rest day.
Midlands men secured a hard-fought 2-1 win over Capital, helped by two Andy Hayward penalty corner drag flicks. Jacob Smith scored Capital's only goal.
Canterbury rolled Northland 5-0 thanks to a hat-trick from Isaac Staples and a double from Nick Haig. The Cavaliers dominated the full 70 minutes and could have put more goals on the board, the result keeping Northland cemented to the bottom of the table.
North Harbour completed the day for the men with a thrilling penalty shoot-out victory over Central. With the game goalless for most of the game, two late goals for each side forced the game to a shoot-out in which Harbour were clear winners.
The fourth round gets underway tomorrow morning with Central against Northland in the men's competition with Auckland's women taking on Capital.
