Amy Costello’s first goal for Great Britain ensure fifth spot in 2018 Champions Trophy

Amy Costello smashed home a 21st minute corner to secure the first victory of the tournament for her GB side after they finished bottom of the group.

Costello’s goal came after Hannah Martin had scored her second of the tournament to level the scores just seconds after Yui Ishibashi gave Japan the lead in the fourth minute.Japan applied plenty of pressure in the second half but couldn’t find the equaliser, with Susannah Townsend producing a stunning block with just six minutes remaining to keep out Mami Karino.

Costello said, “It feels brilliant to score my first goal for GB. It was a team goal. We had enjoyed a lot of control in the game at that point. Then we won the penalty corner and we all stuck to our tasks and I did my job. But yes, its feels absolutely brilliant.

“We came out today knowing we hadn’t performed in the earlier games and knowing we had to put everything into the last game. Winning like that means that we will now view and think about the tournament very differently. It will certainly make for a better plane journey home.

“We are developing some very strong team values and beliefs. It translates across everything, from what we do on the pitch, what we do at Bisham Abbey, how we behave when we are out. For example, recovery is an individual thing but we all trust that we are each doing the things we need to do to recover and be able to put in the best performance the next day.”

Martin’s equaliser was a moment head coach David Ralph believed to be pivotal in side’s success in this game, giving GB the impetus and confidence needed to secure the win.

“We’ve had to work hard in this tournament, it’s not quite gone our way but we’ve had some positives,” he said.

“It was important for us to grab that momentum back so coming back so quickly gave us a bit of life, a bit of energy in our legs for the rest of the game.”

Next up for Great Britain’s women is their opening fixture in the brand new FIH Pro League on 8 February 2019.

Starting XI: Tennant (GK), Unsworth, Evans, Toman, Martin, Townsend, Bray, Pearne-Webb (C), Owsley, Balsdon, Costello

Subs: Robertson, Petty, Sanders, Howard, Jones, Ansley, Heesh (GK)

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