GREAT BRITAIN 4 (1) Alex Danson 11,47 (F,F) Katie Long 41 (F) Chloe Rogers 55 (F)
Great Britain’s women’s hockey team again came from behind to beat the USA 4-1 on Thursday and secure a third consecutive victory to clinch the best of five series in San Diego with two games remaining.
As on Wednesday, Great Britain fell behind to an early deflection but a freak goal from Reading’s Alex Danson levelled things before the break, albeit somewhat fortunately.
In the second half Great Britain found another gear and Leicester’s Katie Long scored her first goal for Great Britain to make it 2-1 just over five minutes into the second half. Danson bagged a second shortly after, Great Britain’s third, and Chloe Rogers rounded off the scoring with 15 minutes remaining.
Reading’s Helen Richardson captained the side while Leicester’s Crista Cullen is now within one appearance of 150 international outings for Great Britain and England combined. After making her international debut on Wednesday, Canterbury’s Dilly Newton picked up her second cap.
Great Britain began slowly and the USA took full advantage to take the lead with just ten minutes on the clock when Michelle Kasold deflected the ball beyond Abi Walker in the GB goal. But Great Britain were not behind for long. Attacking the US circle from the restart Alex Danson’s shot found itself in the back of the net courtesy of a strange deflection off the stick of a defender that took it looping up and over the goalkeeper to make it 1-1. And that is how it remained until the break.
Reacting to the half time team talk Great Britain took the lead for the first time in the match through Katie Long in the 41st minute, who deflected home at the back post to score her first goal in Great Britain colours. Five minutes later it was 3-1 as Danson netted her second of the match and fifth of the series.
Further chances came Great Britain’s way but a combination of good goalkeeping and missed chances meant only Chloe Rogers found the back of the goal, the Leicester midfielder scoring a well taken individual goal to seal the 4-1 win.
Afterwards, captain Helen Richardson admitted, “The first half was not up to our usual standards and we were off the pace. But in the second half we stepped up, we got to the ball first and showed more fight and determination.”
Head coach Danny Kerry said, “The USA came at us out of the blocks fast and we were too slow and complacent. We were luck y to score how we did to keep it tight at half time but in the second half we played well to instruction and created good opportunities. With the opportunities we created we could have scored more.”
The result means that Great Britain has won the best of five series with two games remaining. Those matches take place on Saturday and Sunday at 19:00 GMT (13:00 local).
Great Britain v USA*
Name (Club) Position
Started
Abi Walker (Canterbury) Goalkeeper
Crista Cullen (Leicester) Defender
Emily Maguire (Reading) Defender
Sam Quek (Reading) Defender
Laura Unsworth (Loughborough Students) Defender
Sally Walton (Bowdon Hightown) Defender
Chloe Rogers (Leicester) Midfielder
Helen Richardson (Reading) Midfielder
Susie Gilbert (University of Birmingham) Midfielder
Alex Danson (Reading ) Forward
Katie Long (Leicester) Forward
Substitutes used
Laura Bartlett (Reading) Forward
Ashleigh Ball (Slough) Midfielder
Sarah Thomas (No Club) Forward
Dilly Newton (Canterbury) Defender
Anne Panter (Leicester) Defender
Revised Great Britain Fixtures v USA
Date - Time UK - Time USA - Fixture
Sunday 11 December - 21:00 - 13:00 - USA v Great Britain
Wednesday 14 December - 21:00 - 13:00 - USA v Great Britain
Thursday 15 December – 21:00 – 13:00 – USA v Great Britain *new fixture*
Saturday 17 December - 19:00 - 11:00 - USA v Great Britain *change of day*
Sunday 18 December - 19:00 - 11:00 - USA v Great Britain
