DESPERATE DIVE: Wellington keeper Richard Hayward spreads himself to block Papatoetoe flier Giovanni Perdoncin's run on goal in yesterday's roller hockey national final in Wanganui. PHOTO/BEVAN CONLEY

It's not often that a sporting showdown ends with a plastic chair being thrown on to the playing surface ... but that was the scene at Wanganui's Jubilee Stadium yesterday.

In a thrilling climax to roller hockey's national final between defending champions Papatoetoe and Wellington, passions ran high as the final seconds ticked away.

The Aucklanders' star player Giovanni Perdoncin - who scored four of their goals in the 6-4 victory - went flying after clashing with a couple of Wellington defenders and had his stick thrown out of the rink.

The reaction of the Papatoetoe bench was immediate - a mixture of anger, disgust and protest - and a white plastic chair was hurled on to the field of play.

The final hooter brought a swift end to a volatile situation and normal comradeship among the rivals was quickly resumed as Papatoetoe celebrated their triumph.

Fortunately, that over-excited finale did not marr a breathtaking battle of speed and skill as New Zealand's best players delighted supporters at Springvale with their talent.

Papatoetoe always had the edge in the final but Wellington refused to let them get away.

Two strikes from Perdoncin and a goal to Mike Langridge were reward for their first half effort. Alan Tilley netted Wellington's opener and then, on the stroke of halftime, Daniel Moore got the benefit of a ricochet after his shot was saved and the sides went into the second 20 minutes at 3-2.

A goal by Papatoetoe's Steve Signal was matched by a long-range effort from Mark Turner and Wellington looked as if they might have turned the tide until Perdoncin weighed in again.

The speedster's silky stick-handling abilities were too much for Wellington to contain. He seized on a loose pass to baffle keeper Richard Hayward and score number five and minutes later took a pass from Tony Dellar to make it 6-3.

When Wellington's NZ rep player Craig Mackie was flattened by Signal, the Aucklander was sent to the sin bin for two minutes and Mackie netted the resulting penalty but that was as close as the capital side got.

It wrapped up a clean sweep for Papatoetoe who also won the second division and youth/women's titles. Wanganui finished third in the premier and second division events and were runners-up in the youth/women final.

Roller Hockey New Zealand president Peter Braddock paid credit to Wanganui's hosting effort. "A lot of work went on behind the scenes to make this championship so successful," he said.

Wanganui president David Grant, who refereed the fiercely-contested final, was also pleased with the smooth running of the championships.

Roller hockey has been going in New Zealand for more than 50 years but its numbers were severely-depleted with the rise of inline hockey in the 1990s.

However, on the evidence of three days of action at Springvale, it's a fast, furious and fun sport with appeal across all age ranges.

Grant said the season was now over but the Wanganui club would be back in action around March, practising at its base at the Hattrick Street stadium rink.