Midlands coach optimistic his side can reach the top

WAIKATO TIMES

BACK FOR MORE: Veteran Tony Hopping, left, is part of a strong Midlands side aiming to defend their NHL title this season.

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Midlands women's coach Hymie Gill has his sights set on a National Hockey League title this season.

The Midlands side started their representative season with a 3-2 defeat to Auckland on Sunday but Gill is optimistic his charges can reverse that result when they contest the NHL tournament in Christchurch in September.

Gill said a settled look to his squad may be the key to success after Midlands finished third in last season's NHL.

"We've got 10 players back from last year, which is a big bonus," Gill said. "We've almost started from new each year in previous seasons."

Black Sticks representatives Kate Mahon, Clarissa Eshuis, Gemma Flynn and New Zealand Junior star Cat Finlayson will provide the spine of the side while Gill has made a useful acquisition in former Waikato goalkeeper Sally Rutherford, with the North Harbour-based netminder a Black Sticks squad member ranked behind only Beth Jurgeleit and current North Harbour keeper Bianca Russell.

Flynn and Finlayson, who leave this week with the national age-group side for the Junior World Cup in the United States, were standouts for Midlands on Sunday in a match they led 2-1, along with debutantes Kim Tanner and Tori Horsley.

Tanner, a 16-year-old from Waikato Diocesan, showed her potential at right half while Tauranga's Horsley also impressed in her full senior representative debut.

The Midlands men's side which won last season's NHL drew 1-1 on Sunday with Auckland in their first meeting since last year's final which Midlands won 4-2.

The Darren Smith-coached Midlands team dominated the second half and are expected to make a strong defence of their title this year, with two high quality guest players for the national tournament due to be named shortly.

Last season Midlands drafted the top drawer Australian duo of David Guest and Matthew Wells, with Guest earning the player of the tournament award after netting 10 goals during the tournament.

Midlands have added Junior Black Sticks Hugo Inglis and Nick Ross to this year's squad and also picked up senior New Zealand representative Andy Hayward. He joins fellow past or present internationals Casey Henwood, Richard Petherick and Lloyd Stephenson, veterans Tony Hopping and Sandeep Puna and Lincoln Churchill in a talented group.

The Midlands sides will continue their representative build-up towards the NHL tournament with matches against North Harbour at Pukekohe on Sunday.

- © Fairfax NZ News