GREAT BRITAIN SHOW CONFIDENCE AGAINST ARGENTINES by Peter Savage in Reading

Yesterday had been a yawn. Today kept you on the edge of your seat. What a difference a day makes. If yesterday’s match lacked passion as each side got the measure of each other, those who had come for two days were rewarded with a far more entertaining spectacle. This evening’s match saw a GB side growing in confidence that was prepared to take on their opponents on equal terms. An early goal from Becky Herbert added to GB’s confidence with an early goal in open play. Territorially Argentina had the better of the first half but poor finishing and some good 'keeping by Beth Story enabled GB to hold their lead until near to half time, when Luciana Aymar equalised from a penalty corner. But the equaliser did not herald a GB collapse and sixteen minutes into the second half they were rewarded for their tenacity by a Laura Bartlett goal. Minutes later we were pinching ourselves – and remember this is the world’s number two side that GB were playing – as Hayley Brown netted GB’s third. Aymar tried to rally her side with some superb mid-field play and it was a penetrating run by her that allowed Maria De La Paz Hernandez to score Argentina’s second (pictured). But if this was a Argentine revival it was soon reversed by GB’s fourth and final goal, courtesy of a penalty corner conversion by Mel Clewlow. Final score 4-2 to GB. The match ended in rather bizarre style as umpire Bruce Bale had to leave the pitch with a dislocated shoulder, to be replaced by the hugely experienced Margaret Hunnaball who was was there as an umpire coach.

Of course, this is not the Olympic Games and an Argentine side playing in Beijing is likely to be a different proposition. But GB can take a great deal of encouragement from this result.