Danson caps milestone with winner in Olympic Test Event opener

2nd May 2012

Home » News » Danson caps milestone with winner in Olympic Test Event opener

GREAT BRITAIN 1 (0)

Alex Danson 62 (F)

KOREA 0 (0)

–

Great Britain forward Alex Danson capped her
milestone 50th international appearance for GB with the winning
goal against Korea on the opening day of the Visa International
Invitational Hockey Tournament. It was also her 50th goal at
international level, including goals for England.

On the day that captain Kate Walsh joined an
exclusive group of nine players in winning her 100th cap for Great
Britain, her side finished victorious in its first official match
at the Riverbank Arena in front of 4,000 vocal and partisan
supporters.

After a goalless first half in which Korea enjoyed
the better of the opportunities, Great Britain responded in the
second half forcing two smart saves from Younghui Moon before
Danson struck late on.

The 26 year old said afterwards, “The atmosphere
was amazing. It was incredible to receive my 50th cap here on
home turf in front of a home crowd and it was lovely to get a goal
too. I was thinking I’d take it on my reverse because I’m
pretty comfortable there and I just hit it. The goalkeeper got a
glove to it but it was great to see it go in.”

Following the presentations to Walsh and Danson and
a rousing rendition of the national anthem, Great Britain began
brightly with Sarah Thomas testing Moon as early as the fourth
minute with a low shot. But that was to be Great Britain’s
best chance of the half as Korea replied, winning a brace of
penalty corners in the 12th minute. The first was saved by
Reading goalkeeper Beth Storry while the second flew wide of the
goal.

Storry was again called into action from another
penalty corner soon after but she was up to the task. At the
other end, shortly before half time, Great Britain had a penalty
corner awarded and then reversed following a successful appeal by
the Korean defence to the video umpire.

The second half saw few clear cut opportunities for
either side before Clifton’s Georgie Twigg robbed her opponent and
played in Reading’s Helen Richardson. Richardson’s clever
flick was well saved by Moon who thwarted the same player minutes
later.

Richardson’s efforts were a sign of things to come
and with eight minutes remaining Danson struck from a similar
position. Her reverse stick effort from the left of the
circle looped up and off the goalkeeper’s glove into the far side
of the net to the delighted of the Reading forward and the crowd,
many of whom were wearing red as encouraged by Great Britain
Hockey.

Late on, Great Britain survived another Korean
corner, during which Leicester’s Crista Cullen was winded but the
defender got up to continue the game and see out the victory.

Speaking after the match, Great Britain Head Coach
Danny Kerry said, “We had intercepts in the circle but then poor
execution in the circle. In terms of chances Korea probably
shaded it overall with corners, but we did have some good open play
opportunities which we unfortunately we didn’t take.

“I’m not overly disappointed with our performance,
we got a win, but I am disappointed that we didn’t take the good
chances we had.”

Earlier, reigning World Champions Argentina beat
China 3-0 to top the standings.

Kerry’s side now look forward to Thursday’s match
against China at 1:15pm. Again, Great Britain Hockey is
encouraging spectators at the Riverbank Arena to support the team
by wearing red.

Visa International Invitational Hockey Tournament
Fixtures & Results

Wednesday 2 May 2012

11:00 Argentina v China

13:15 Great Britain v Korea

Thursday 3 May 2012

11:00 Argentina v Korea

13:15 China v Great Britain

Saturday 5 May 2012

09:30 China v Korea

11:45 Great Britain v Argentina

Sunday 6 May 2012

09:30 Bronze medal match

12:15 Final

Visa International Invitational Hockey Tournament
Standings

1. Argentina (3pts)

2. Great Britain (3pts)

3. Korea (0pts)

4. China (0pts)

Great Britain forward Alex Danson capped her milestone
50th international appearance for GB with the winning goal against
Korea on the opening day of the Visa International Invitational
Hockey Tournament. It was also her 50th goal at international
level, including goals for England.

On the day that captain Kate Walsh joined an exclusive group of
nine players in winning her 100th cap for Great Britain, her side
finished victorious in its first official match at the Riverbank
Arena in front of 4,000 vocal and partisan supporters.

After a goalless first half in which Korea enjoyed the better of
the opportunities, Great Britain responded in the second half
forcing two smart saves from Younghui Moon before Danson struck
late on.

The 26 year old said afterwards,

“The atmosphere was amazing. It was incredible to receive
my 50th cap here on home turf in front of a home crowd and it was
lovely to get a goal too. I was thinking I’d take it on my
reverse because I’m pretty comfortable there and I just hit it. The
goalkeeper got a glove to it but it was great to see it go in.”

Following the presentations to Walsh and Danson and a rousing
rendition of the national anthem, Great Britain began brightly with
Sarah Thomas testing Moon as early as the fourth minute with a low
shot. But that was to be Great Britain’s best chance of the
half as Korea replied, winning a brace of penalty corners in the
12th minute. The first was saved by Reading goalkeeper Beth
Storry while the second flew wide of the goal.

Storry was again called into action from another penalty corner
soon after but she was up to the task. At the other end,
shortly before half time, Great Britain had a penalty corner
awarded and then reversed following a successful appeal by the
Korean defence to the video umpire.

The second half saw few clear cut opportunities for either side
before Clifton’s Georgie Twigg robbed her opponent and played in
Reading’s Helen Richardson. Richardson’s clever flick was well
saved by Moon who thwarted the same player minutes later.

Richardson’s efforts were a sign of things to come and with
eight minutes remaining Danson struck from a similar position.
Her reverse stick effort from the left of the circle looped
up and off the goalkeeper’s glove into the far side of the net to
the delighted of the Reading forward and the crowd, many of whom
were wearing red as encouraged by Great Britain Hockey.

Late on, Great Britain survived another Korean corner, during
which Leicester’s Crista Cullen was winded but the defender got up
to continue the game and see out the victory.

Speaking after the match, Great Britain Head Coach Danny Kerry
said,

“We had intercepts in the circle but then poor execution in the
circle. In terms of chances Korea probably shaded it overall
with corners, but we did have some good open play opportunities
which we unfortunately we didn’t take.

“I’m not overly disappointed with our performance, we got a win,
but I am disappointed that we didn’t take the good chances we
had.”

Earlier, reigning World Champions Argentina beat China 3-0 to
top the standings.

Kerry’s side now look forward to Thursday’s match against China
at 1:15pm.