Albany opened the scoring when Jack Cotton set up Eli Turner for a simple tap-in right in front of the goal inside three minutes.
Kings were quick to respond, hitting Albany with a one-two punch as Judd Adamson wrong-footed Ben Sinnamon with a wonderful deflection before Sam Gradwell clinically converted a stroke to make it 2-1 heading into quarter time.
The men in white extended their advantage after the break, as Charles Darling ripped home a drag flick.
Albany needed a response, and they quickly found one as Kings gave them a chance from the spot, which Cotton was only too happy to accept.
Albany had the momentum, and with that, they quickly had an equaliser, Tom French able to scrap one home from close range seven minutes before the main break.
Despite a few cards, that was how the score would remain heading into halftime.
After the break, it was Kings who started on the front foot, and after earning a penalty corner, Darling slotted home his second flick, going high into the top-right corner.
That was the only goal of the third quarter, as Kings finally offered some control.
Albany did not give in though, as Johnny Thorn strode through before delivering a flat ball from halfway to Cotton, who perfectly deflected past the keeper to bag his second and Albany’s fourth.
The game seemed destined to end even, but with little over two minutes remaining, Nick Parata found the bottom corner with a flick, seemingly giving Albany the points.
Better late than never for Kings, though. They went straight down the other end and Nick Casey was quickest to a loose ball, smashing it home on his reverse to make it 5-5.
In the shootout that followed, Kings got over the line to claim the extra competition point.
The other premier men’s games were less eventful as the University Whales eased past Southland 4-1, and the Taieri Tuataras drilled the University Panthers 8-0.
There was drama in the premier women’s competition, though, as Momona were locked at 1-1 on fulltime with a penalty corner to come against the University Huskies.
There was chaos in the circle, as a miscommunication perhaps denied Momona a winner, but they remained calm as Sarah Johnstone slotted home at the second time of asking to make it 2-1.
Elsewhere, the City Highlanders were clinical in dispatching Kings United 3-0, keeping themselves firmly on top of the table thanks to second-half goals from Hayley Cox, Annabelle Schneideman and Billie Crowe.
The Taieri Tigers were also in the winner’s circle, penalty corner goals from Mya Brocket and Bex Clementson guiding them to a 2-0 win over the University Stingrays.
— Nichols Friedlander
