A SHELL-SHOCKED Harry Martin was part of a Team GB team mauled 9-2 in their Olympic semi-final against the Netherlands as the hosts proved attack is not always the best form of defence.

The Netherlands topped their pool and headed into the contest as favourites but not in the most avid of Dutch supporters would have anticipated what was to follow.

By half-time they were 4-1 up and by the end they had added five more with Bill Bakker and Roderick Weusthof both finishing with hat-tricks as Team GB left wide open spaces at the back in search of a route back into the game.

Coach Jason Lee was mortified on the sidelines by what was unfolding in front of him and says Ipswich’s Martin and co were taught a devastating lesson in ruthlessness by the Netherlands, who play Germany in the final.

He said: “They made the pitch big in the first 20 minutes so there were a lot of one-on-one battles and we lost too many of them.

“At 3-1 we still had a chance but we switched off at 4-1 and that changed the game a lot. We had to really chase it and try to win it and they exposed us.

“I felt like every time they had a shot it went in and there were a few times we needed to put a stick in. The second half we looked shell shocked and lost our way completely.

“We didn’t solve the tactical challenges particularly well and that meant they got a lot space and we are always going to struggle if we don’t make the game small in defence and that’s largely what they achieved throughout the game.”

Goals from Ashley Jackson and Rob Moore were little consolation to Team GB as they trudged off the Riverbank Arena but they have little time to feel sorry for themselves ahead of a bronze-medal match against Australia on Saturday.

And with an Olympic medal on the line Lee ordered his troops to pick themselves up off the floor.

He said: “There are worse places to be than playing for bronze in a home Olympics but we will see how we do.

“We are confident we will do much better. Australia have pedigree of bouncing back from defeats as well but when you have an Olympic medal at stake then motivation shouldn’t be a problem.”

- Lloyds TSB, proud supporter of Team GB and proud partner of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Get closer to the Games at lloydstsb.com/london2012