FIH Pro League: Great Britain men win but women lose in Australia double-header
- Published
GB are sixth in the men's Pro League table
Great Britain men beat Australia in a shootout after a 2-2 draw but the women fell to a 4-2 defeat in a FIH Pro League double-header in London.
GB men went ahead twice at Lee Valley through first-half goals from Zach Wallace and Chris Griffiths but Australia pegged them both times.
Keeper George Pinner, who came on for Harry Gibson at half-time, then saved twice in a 4-3 shootout victory.
Captain Hollie Pearne-Webb and Tess Howard scored late on for GB women.
But a spirited second-half performance was not enough for the Olympic champions as Australia had opened a four-goal advantage - the first three coming in the first half at Lee Valley.
Goalkeeper Maddie Hinch, playing in only her second match since returning to international hockey, made several fine saves to keep the Hockeyroos at bay as GB went in search of a goal.
Izzy Petter and Hannah Martin both went close but it was Pearne-Webb who finally pulled one back with her first goal for Great Britain since 2015. Howard then scored her third goal in as many days, having scored a double against Germany on Friday.
GB women are seventh in the FIH Pro League standings with 11 points from 14 games, while the men are sixth in their table with 18 points after 12 games.
"It was good to make a couple of saves, I'm disappointed not to keep a clean sheet but overall I'm pretty happy," said Pinner.
"Let's be honest, if you don't like a shootout as a goalie, there's probably something wrong with you. It's much more about skill than the old-style strokes.
"It didn't go our way against Spain a few weeks ago so it was good to win this one. And it's a nice feeling to come in and contribute to an extra bonus point."
The FIH Pro League serves as qualification for the World Cup and Olympics in which eight of the world's top teams face each other home and away, with the top four advancing to the finals in the Netherlands on 30 June.