Hockey: City Highlanders too good for Albany A

City Highlanders was too good for Albany A on Saturday night, winning the premier men's clash 7-3.

The game was played at a furious pace as both teams opened up huge gaps on attack and were clinical on defence.

Albany's suffocating defence at both ends of the field was the telling factor in the game.

Albany defenders shut down City's key strikers and were also able to create pressure on attack, holding the ball and waiting for City to make the mistakes.

Rod Rzepecky got the ball rolling for Albany 10 minutes into the game, catching goalkeeper James Bishop off guard.

Three minutes later, Callum Bailey converted a penalty corner and Kane Russell made it 3-0 with a superb penalty corner drag-flick.

In the second half, City began to fight back, with Matt Greene beating Albany goalkeeper Miles Roberts with a drag-flick.

Callum Bailey then struck twice in five minutes to stretch Albany's lead, before James McKibbon replied with two of his own.

With only a few minutes left to play, Rzepecky then got his second.

In other games, University A beat the Tuataras 4-1 and Kings beat University B 6-0, with Todd Gould collecting four of Kings' goals.

City Highlanders scored a last-minute goal to snatch a 1-1 draw with University A in the premier women's competition.

University started strongly but City regrouped and started to regain some patterns.

However, a mistake by a City defender was converted into attack by the students with a deflection into the circle finished off by Emily Ballinger.

Varsity continued to look more dominant in speed and skills.

Their more forceful, swift and dominant game resulted in three penalty corners in succession, all staunchly defended by City.

The second half featured steals and reversals in the midfield and no clear advantage either way.

There was pressure on the City net with reverse-stick shots from the Varsity forwards, but all went wide, and several penalty corners were unconverted.

City was retaliating and the game was becoming a little dull with neither side playing its best and University looking a little complacent with a one-goal lead.

Just when the game looked in danger of petering out, a defensive slip by University was seized upon by City and carried down the right at blistering pace by Stacey Mitchell, who crossed into the circle.

The shot at goal was saved brilliantly by University keeper Liz Gifford but the rebound was netted from a reverse-stick shot by Camille Keoghan.

With everyone still in shock, City won a penalty corner to finish off the game.

The shot from the top of the circle went in but was too high.

In other games, Taieri and St Hilda's drew 1-1 and Momona A beat Momona B 2-1.