PRACTICE makes perfect and Norths coach Dave Willott was more than pleased to see a training move pay off in such a key moment.
With just under 10 minutes remaining in Sunday's major semi-final, Nick Hill finished off the Blues' play to break a deadlock with rivals Gosford and book a spot in the Hunter Coast Premier Hockey League decider.
Norths beat the Magpies 1-0 at Newcastle International Hockey Centre.
"It was just one of those things. We'd worked on that at training on Thursday night and that's how we ended up scoring that goal," Willott said.
"Nothing too elaborate - just into the midfield and back out again, out wide and along the baseline. And it worked."
Norths and Gosford have gone head-to-head in a string of recent men's grand finals and there's been very little between the sides again this year.
They had beaten each other 2-0 and played out a 2-all draw during 2022, but the Blues prevailed on this occasion in what WIllott described as a "tough, duel-it-out battle".
Minor premiers Norths advance to the title showdown on September 17 while Gosford now host Maitland, who knocked out Souths 2-0 in Newcastle on Sunday.
Isaac Farmilo and Matt Magann scored for the Rams from a short corner and penalty stroke respectively.
NDWHA premier league play-offs got underway Saturday with Oxfords defeated 4-2 by top-ranked Gosford and Tigers eliminating Regals 4-1 in a shootout after scores were locked 1-all at full-time. Oxfords and Tigers will now meet in the preliminary final.
