GB hockey skipper admits to pressure

Great Britain men's hockey captain Barry Middleton admits it was difficult living with the pressure of playing at a home Olympics but hopes the team gave a good account of themselves.

A 3-1 defeat to world number ones Australia denied them the bronze medal and the opportunity to match what their female counterparts achieved yesterday.

However, despite a 9-2 thrashing by Holland in the semi-final - the first for GB in 24 years - Middleton felt the players had generally delivered what they set out to do in terms of the way they played.

"I think there has been a lot of pressure on people because it was our home Games - but there has been pressure for every sport and individual involved," said the 28-year-old.

"I think we felt that for a while. The fact we progressed up the rankings to put ourselves in a position where we can fight for medals also brings its own pressure.

"But I hope with the way we played - we always wanted to be exciting and attacking - we have done the country proud and got hockey out to people.

"It (the London Games) has been amazing but it is a pretty flat feeling right now.

"We aimed for something, we dreamed of something, but hopefully we will look back in a few months and see we have done ourselves proud."

Coach Jason Lee, who looks set to remain in charge for a while longer having initially decided this was to be his last tournament in charge, said he was proud of the way his players bounced back from the traumatic defeat to the Dutch.

"The truth is that we have a bad taste in our mouth about the semi-final result and we wanted to come into the bronze medal game and play like ourselves," he said. "That is total commitment, trying to play attacking hockey, and I think the guys did it."