Kerry upbeat as Great Britain slump to second defeat

Posted: Thursday 7th June 2012 | 23:29

GREAT Britain women's hockey coach Danny Kerry insisted there was no cause for alarm as his side lost their second straight match at the Investec London Cup.

RAIN MAN: Danny Kerry shelters from the elements as Great Britain lose again at the Investec London Cup (Ady Kerry)

First half goals in quick succession from Germany's Janine Beermann and Hannah Kruger put the visitors in control but when Hannah Mcleod pulled one back for the world number four hosts ten minutes from time it was too late.

But Kerry claims the absence of star players Alex Danson, Kate Walsh, Crista Cullen and Sarah Thomas - who he insists will all be fit for the Olympic Games - means he's not too concerned about the untimely slump in form.

“I think if we weren’t generating the chances, I would be gravely concerned, but we are generating the chances," he insisted.

"On a scale of one to ten of concerned, I'm a three. When we’ve got Crista and Kate back at corners, all of a sudden that looks dangerous.

"You put Alex back in, you put Sarah Thomas back in, that’s even more threat. If you didn’t have those coming back in, I think my concern would be higher.

"Germany took their chances exceptionally well with two cracking goals but I was still really very happy with how we played. People gave everything and it was sublime at times.”

Two straight defeats means Kerry's side miss out on the semi-finals and will take on Ireland in Sunday morning's fifth and sixth place play-off - a position they are not accustomed to after bronze medals at the most recent World and European Championships and Commonwealth Games, a silver at the 2012 Champions Trophy and a gold at last month's official Olympic test event.

Then it will be back to hard work at the team's Bisham Abbey training base - with Kerry claiming there is still plenty of 'polishing' to do before next month's Olympic opener against Japan on July 29.

"There’s some stuff we’ve been working on that was showing out there," he added.

"It’s not a set back for our preparation one jot really, in fact in some ways it helps. We aren’t playing two games back to back, so the chance of injury is less."