ODIHAM’S Alex Danson and Team GB’s hockey stars capped a memorable Olympic Games when they won gold last Friday.

Danson, celebrated with her teammates after a dramatically triumphing over odds-on favourites The Netherlands.

Three days earlier Danson, 31, was the hero as her two goals helped the team into its first Olympic final with a 3-0 win over New Zealand.

Danson grabbed the opening goal in the second quarter, reacting fastest after an initial drag flick from a penalty corner was blocked.

With the Kiwi’s missing numerous chances to level proceedings, Team GB pressed, and Helen Richardson-Walsh converted a penalty stroke after being bundled over in the area.

Danson then put the icing on the cake again, converting another penalty stroke after Nicola White had been brought down.

Celebrations followed, but attention turned immediately towards Friday night’s final.

Opponents for the evening, the Netherlands, were the heavily backed favourites, as the defending Olympic champions and current world champions, despite Team GB being the only side unbeaten in the Games.

The star of the show was GB keeper Maddie Hinch, who made a string of outstanding saves to keep the women, going for their first gold medal, in the tie.

After she had saved a number of penalty corners and a penalty stroke, GB took the lead at the end of the first quarter via a Lily Owsley tap-in.

The Dutch however, struck back, and goals from Kitty van Male and Maartje Paumen put them in front.

But the fighting spirit that had seen the GB women play on despite bruised cheeks and stitched-up foreheads, saw them battle back twice in response to going behind.

Crista Cullen swept the ball home to level the scores at two apiece, but GB’s resilience was tested again when Paumen put the Dutch back in front at 3-2, with the clock running down.

However, Nicola White poked the ball home after a goalmouth scramble to make the scores 3-3 and send the game to penalties.

The game’s hero Hinch was the deciding factor in the nerve-shredding shootout.

The keeper studied a little black book of notes during the pause between the final whistle and the penalties and it paid dividends as she kept out four penalties from the Netherlands, leaving Helen Richardson-Walsh and Hollie Webb to score the decisive penalties and hand the GB women their first Olympic Women’s Hockey gold medal, and the 24th gold medal at Rio for Great Britain.

A vital cog in the team’s unbeaten run to Olympic glory, Danson finished the tournament with five goals.