Auckland coach Richard Redfern dipped into his bag of get out of jail free cards again as the tournament favourites snatched a last-ditch win over long-time adversaries Canterbury in the feature third round National League hockey clash at Lloyd Elsmore Park yesterday.
For the second time in ahectic weekend schedule, the Bevan Hari-led hosts had to come from 0-2 to win and then take a clear lead as the only unbeaten team.
On Saturday, American Pat Harris scored a second half hat-trick as Auckland stormed home 3-2 over North Harbour after trailing 0-2 at the interval.
The loss left Canterbury in a logjam at second place with four teams now having lost once. Wellington joined that deadlock with a 3-0 win over a disappointing Midlands in the last game yesterday.
Auckland's only test in their remaining four pool games comes tomorrow night against Wellington.
The scramble to find the second finalist will go to the wire with defending champions North Harbour down to play Wellington and Canterbury in their final matches on Thursday and Saturday.
North Harbour were stunned into second half action yesterday after trailing yet-to-win Southern 0-1 at halftime. Second-half goals from former internationals Shaun Barnett, and Bryce Collins and a third from David Green got them home.
Chasing a second K Cup triumph, the North Harbour women continue to impress. They raced to 3-0 in the first half and cruised home by that score over internationals-packed Central by that margin.
Rising star Stacey Michelsen followed up her two goals in the opening 3-2 win over Canterbury with one in both games over the weekend as Harbour beat Southern 5-1 before yesterday's win over Central who have dropped out of the top three in the race to find the top two for Sunday's final. With their 1-0 win over Midlands in the late game, Northland leapt into the top three just a point behind second-placed Auckland who, led by an Honor Dillon hat-trick, had earlier beaten Southern 5-0. Northland meet North Harbour in tomorrow's feature while Canterbury, yet to pick up a point, will have another test in meeting old rivals Auckland in the late game.
