ODIHAM hockey star Alex Danson was part of the England team that suffered the heartache of losing in their first EuroHockey final in 22 years after a penalty shoot-out.
The game had ended 4-4 so the game was decided on penalties and none of Kate Walsh, Danson, Laura Unsworth or Georgie Twigg managed to convert for England as Germany scored two of their four attempts.
Danson had to settle for a silver and said: “I went in feeling confident but I’m very, very disappointed, obviously, not to do my job and put that penalty away.”
In high scoring first-half Twigg opened the scoring in the opening minutes as she converted the rebound from a Walsh penalty corner, only for Eileen Hoffman’s penalty corner to level things.
England re-took the lead as Walsh’s next penalty corner hit the back of the net, but the Germans hit back as Tina Bachmann scored twice to give them the lead.
Back came England as Helen Richardson scored with cool reverse-stick finish, but right on the break Hannah Kruger made it 4-3 from another penalty corner.
With four minutes left Lily Owsley’s deflected equaliser forced a shoot-out.
The semi-final showdown with Olympic champions the Netherlands last Thursday saw Danson score the winning penalty flick after the game ended 1-1.
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