25 September 2006
By PHIL HAMILTON

The Midlands women's team proved as good as their word, notching an historic first ever National Hockey League victory against North Harbour yesterday in Hamilton.
The Bayleys-sponsored team defeated North Harbour 3-1 in their first win against either of the two Auckland teams in the league.

It was almost a double celebration with the side leading Auckland 3-2 on Saturday with a minute to go, only for Auckland to snatch a last-gasp equaliser.

However, they made no such mistake yesterday at the Gallagher Hockey Centre.

"Most probably this is the biggest game Midlands have ever played," coach Alan Galletly said.
"It's an absolutely outstanding result in a number of ways.
"It takes us a step closer to the semifinals, and it was against a team most people
expect to be in the semis or final."

The entire team played well, led outstandingly by their inspirational skipper Di Weavers at the back.
Weavers was well supported by the other internationals in the side –- Kate Mahon, Robbie Matthews and Clarissa Eshuis –- who gave the side a solid base from which to launch their raids.

Their youthful attackers were able to capitalise on that platform and outplayed their more vaunted rivals thanks to better teamwork.
"The skill up-front is fantastic," Weavers said.
"They're getting smarter and better every game."
Lymarah Wharerau got Midlands on the board after just eight minutes, scoring in a goalmouth melee after good build-up work from Matthews and George Nation.

Kiisha Gurran grabbed the second, although Midlands had a bit of luck when the umpires missed the ball hitting Mahon's foot in the lead-up.

North Harbour finally got on the board in the first minute of the second half, thanks to a Holly Riini strike, and looked ominous.

But Stacey Brannigan put the result beyond doubt with a goal from a reverse hit to give Midlands the win.

North Harbour skipper Paula Enoka was at her ungracious best after the match, thanking Midlands because "it's always nice to have a physical game this early in the league".
She then took a potshot at the umpires. "Perhaps they might like to have a bigger debrief than us," she said.

However, fortune did not favour the Midlands men's side who slumped to their fourth loss of the season yesterday, 7-2 to North Harbour, also in Hamilton. They had gone down the day before to Auckland 6-4

.
Midlands held out for the first 17 minutes under intense pressure before conceding the first goal.
But from then on there were goals scored at regular intervals by the visitors.

"Ultimately their pace and precision were a bit too much for us," captain Gareth Kenny said.
Craig Paterson and Jonny Forbes scored the goals for Midlands.