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Page last updated at 15:26 GMT, Friday, 16 April 2010 16:26 UK

China complete series win over Great Britain's women

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GB must take chances - Cullen

China clinched a series win over Great Britain as a clinical display of finishing secured a 3-1 win in the second and final Test at Bisham Abbey.

Sinan Sun fired low under the body of goalkeeper Kirsty Mackay to open the scoring for the visitors.

Great Britain pulled level four minutes later as Jo Ellis pounced on a loose ball inside the circle.

But Yudiao Zhao restored the lead with a reverse-stick effort before setting up Fu Baorong's second-half goal.

Danny Kerry's side needed victory to level the series after China's 2-1 win in Wednesday's first Test, and the head coach insisted his side were unfortunate not to end all square.

Great britain's Charlotte Craddock
Craddock could not convert Great Britain's pressure into goals

"We were by far the better side by a country mile today," he said.

"We took them apart. It sounds ridiculous as a coach to say this after losing but we played well today."

Leicester defender Crista Cullen, who made her 50th appearance for Great Britain shirt, agrees that her side could easily have upset a China team ranked third in the world.

"We are still in the learning phase but to have those kind of opportunities that regularly, it is a really exciting future," she said.

"We really need to start making them count in small games like this so that when it comes to the real pressure tournaments it is habit and they just go in.

"Hopefully that is where we will get to in a couple of years time."

The hosts will hope to develop the kind of cutting edge shown by China as the visitors followed two successful penalty corners in the first Test by converting another in the eighth minute of the second.

After Sun's polished finish from Ye Ren's pull-back, Reading midfielder Helen Richardson came close with a flick just wide of the post.

But the equaliser soon arrived with a slick passing move creating space for Charlotte Craddock to cross for Alex Danson.

China goalkeeper Yimeng Zhang could only parry her shot and Danson's Slough teammate Ellis duly found the net.

606: DEBATE

Parity lasted only three minutes though as Zhao picked up a stray pass out of the Great Britain defence and capped a surging run into the circle by squeezing a shot past Mackay.

Great Britain controlled possession for much of the rest of the half, but struggled to fashion any clear-cut chances with Craddock's volley wide the closest they came.

China hit the post from another penalty corner early in the second half, but after Zhen Sun saw yellow for failing to retreat at a free hit, one of six cards shown to the visitors, Great Britain pressed forward.

Only a goal-line clearance kept out a looping effort from Danson before Kate Walsh's effort from Great Britain first penalty corner was scrambled clear.

But a breakaway goal doubled China's lead as Zhao drove into the Great Britain half and squared to the top of the circle to the waiting Fu to finish.

Walsh and Crista Cullen both stretched Zhang late on, but could not find a way through some stubborn resistance.

China travel to the Netherlands while Great Britain are set to continue their preparations with more matches to announced for May.



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see also
China take chances to defeat GB
14 Apr 10 |  Hockey
Hockey on the BBC
17 Aug 07 |  Hockey
Crista Cullen's guide to hockey
07 Aug 08 |  Hockey
Basic rules of hockey
05 Oct 05 |  Hockey


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