By PA Sport Staff

Stand-in boss Chris Spice hailed the grit of the British women after they fought back from a two-goal deficit on Wednesday to draw 2-2 with Korea and keep their medal hopes alive.

Mel Clewlow cut the deficit in half before Mandy Nicholson's goal four minutes from time secured the draw.

Spice, Great Britain's performance director who took charge of the team following coach Jon Royce's one-game suspension for making abusive remarks about a female official, said: "Fortune favours the brave and when you take a few risks you hope they come off and they did.

"Our aggressive approach was rewarded and now we can fight another day - results here have shown that anything can happen.

"We took full advantage when they were down to 10 players."

Captain Pauline Stott praised goalkeeper Hilary Rose saying: "She kept us in the game. But I never thought we would lose. Never."

Rose added: "It's hard to describe the last few minutes when we were under tremendous pressure. It was fun and crazy but I enjoyed it and it's my job to keep them out."

The Brits stressed that the Royce controversy, which occurred after the Brits' narrow defeat by Argentina, had not affected them on the field.

Dundee-based Stott said: "It didn't affect us at all. Spice did a brilliant job and inspired us all. We're well-drilled and we knew what we had to do."

GB team manager Chris Picket said: "The incident is firmly behind us and there will be no repercussions."

Pickett confirmed Royce had been spoken to by both the Great Britain and BOA officials, adding: "He does feel aggrieved and he deeply regrets the comments he made."