Long double too late as England slump to USA

KATIE Long's second-half double proved too little too late as England slumped to defeat to the USA in the first of their World Cup warm-up games.

FULL STRETCH: England goalkeeper Gemma Ible attempts to keep out USA’s Rachel Dawson during England’s 3-2 defeat to the USA on Tuesday (Ady Kerry/EHB)

Long struck twice in the closing 12 minutes at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre but the visitors had amassed a three-goal lead, with Keli Smith, Michelle Kasold and Rachel Dawson all finding the net.

The USA are currently ranked tenth in the world and will be absent from this month's World Cup in Rosario, Argentina, having lost out in a qualifier with Korea in April. However, they still proved too strong for Danny Kerry's side.

"In the first ten minutes we should have taken the lead but didn't," said Kerry. "We missed an open goal and a stupid error at the back gave the USA the lead. 

"They had more belief than us and we lost our way a bit. In the last 20 minutes of the second half we got back to playing hockey, we got on top and we pulled two goals back but it was too late by then."

First-half goals from American captain Smith and Kasold gave the visitors a 2-0 half time lead and Dawson added a third shortly after the break. 

Leicester's Long was on the end of Helen Richardson's pass from a penalty corner just before the hour mark to pull one back for England and the 22-year-old bagged her second, deflecting home with five minutes to go. 

In the final minute, Bowdon Hightown's Sally Walton crossed in search of a late equaliser but England could not convert and it finished 3-2.