We gave it a good go - just not quite good enough!

The day began in a very jovial mood. We felt really confident that we could give the Aussie's a great game. When we prepare for a game it's like we are preparing to go for a night on the town. The music goes on and we dance around hairbrush in hand whilst we put on our playing kit, do our hair, tattoos and some apply make up. It's a great way of building ourselves up. That feeling you get when your off out for the night and time is getting on you have a glass of wine in hand and you put the tunes on to try and build yourself up for the evening, it's a very similar just minus the wine, adrenaline takes it's place. We have one tune in particular that we play over and over and it works a treat. By the time we are already to leave the house we are all focused and prepared to take on our oppo.

This morning was no different, everyone was pumped and set to go. Looking round the team I could sense that everyone was motivated and confident and were full of belief. Once we got to the pitch we have some faff time then its into the physical warm up. We jog four half laps of the pitch as you pass the crowd they clap, wave and scream which is always a great feeling. The jog round this morning was comical as we were given a bit of Aussie banter, they absolutely love sport out here and it was great to hear some of their banter directed at us it just makes you want to stun them into silence with our play - the more the better. Moving onto the stick and ball warm up which we all looked pretty sharp in gave me that feeling that we were onto a winner. It wasn't to be.

The first half was tight but I felt we controlled the game far more than they did. We had some good chances and some penalty corners just nothing went for us. Even the umpiring wasn't atrocious! They unfortunately scored a scrappy goal with 7 minutes to go in the first half, that really annoyed us as we felt we had been playing the better hockey. With 5 minutes to go of the first half I felt like I was ready to pass out. It was soooo hot, and I'd been up and back, up and back down the line. Thankful of the half time break we came our raring to go, energy gel boosted us back up and the thought of that gold medal really gave us that energy kick that we needed. Their second goal came from a well executed penalty corner DAMN! We knew we only had to get one goal back to make them start to panic.

Again we kept possession really well we just couldn't penetrate their defence. When we did and won pc's we couldn't put them away. It was frustrating. Then with the last few minutes on the clock we allowed Aus to take a quick long corner, a bit of scrap again and the ball crept under Beth our GK. So 3-0 down the time went. The scoreline doesn't reflect how we played but at the end of the day (it gets dark!) its the team that puts the ball in the back of the net - we just need to learn how to stay composed in that crucial area because that's the difference between winning and losing. We will be working on this aspect from now on - imagine two years worth of working on this where we will be!

So for all those supporting back home - don't lose faith we haven't. If we can out play a team for periods of a game then sooner or later we will reap benefit.

We will NOT come home empty handed if any of us have anything to do with it. You win the Bronze or lose the Gold. We've already lost the gold so we certainly aren't gonna lose the Bronze.

We play Saturday will let you know the time back home - make sure your watching we need all positive vibes being sent through - the more the merrier!

Thanks to those who have being keeping me up-to-date so far and been supporting us from the other side of the world, been thinking about you all and we will keep working hard out here to put some smiles on faces back home.

Love to all. x