Maguire and Bartlett win bronze

OLYMPICS

BRONZE MEDAL PLAY-OFF

GREAT BRITAIN 3   NEW ZEALAND 1
(WOMEN)

Scots Emily Maguire and Laura Bartlett, the latter on
her 50th appearance for Great Britain, grabbed the bronze medal as
Team GB saw off New Zealand 3-1 in front of a vociferous capacity
crowd at the Riverside Arena
yesterday.   

The two Scots have now emulated Wendy Justice, Alison Ramsay and
Susan Fraser who also won bronze with GB in the 1992 Olympics in
Barcelona.

GB were seeded fourth before the start of the Olympic Games, and
although a place in the final eluded them, Danny Kerry`s charges
have improved on their ranking and come away with a crucial bronze
medal.

GB played with much more purpose in the first half, plenty of
possession and pressure, but unfortunately no goals to show for
it.   The first real chance came at the penalty corner
won by the persistence of Hannah Macleod, but Crista Cullen`s
resulting shot was saved by the Black Stick`s goalkeeper.  GB
gained a second set piece when Alex Danson was pushed in the back
in the circle, but again Cullen`s low drag flick was deflected wide
by the keeper`s stick.

The best open play opportunity came two minutes from the
interval, Helen Richardson`s pass was deflected by Danson but it
failed to trouble the keeper.  Somewhat against the run of
play the Kiwis got a penalty corner in the closing seconds of the
half, but GB survived as the ball sailed harmlessly wide of the
target.

There was an early let-off for the GB defence as Katie Glynn`s
deflection tantalisingly rebounded off a post and was
cleared.   There were chances at both ends, New Zealand
were awarded a penalty corner when the ball rebounded off the body
of Walsh, the award stood despite a video referral by Walsh, but
the strike was charged down by the GB defence.   In an
immediate breakaway by GB Sally Walton put in a strong shot but was
saved by the keeper.  Bartlett then won another set piece for
GB but uncharacteristically it was miss-stopped at the top of the
circle and the chance was gone.

The breakthrough came ten minutes into the second half, Danson
won the penalty corner and the strike from captain Kate Walsh was
brilliantly deflected home by Danson for her fifth goal of the
tournament.

The Black Sticks desperately tried to get back into the contest,
but the result was sealed with a trademark drag flick at a penalty
corner by Cullen which flew waist-high past the keeper for the
second.  Danny Kerry`s charges piled on the pressure and were
rewarded at another set piece, Walsh`s strike seemed to be going
wide of the target but it was brilliantly deflected into the net by
Sarah Thomas.  It was now all GB and Danson was unlucky with a
snap shot following a cross by Nicola White, but the ball sailed
harmlessly over the bar.

In the closing seconds Stacey Michelson scored a consolation
deflection for the Kiwis, but it was far too little too
late.   And then the celebrations began in front of a
raucous full house at the Riverside Arena decked with waving union
jacks to greet the 16 bronze medal heroines.

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