QUITE HOW they did it nobody was quite sure but make no mistake about it – Team GB’s women’s hockey side are the Olympic champions for the first time in their history.

Helen Richardson-Walsh, Shona McCallin and co secured a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over the previously unconquered Netherlands in a dramatic gold medal match in Rio that will live long in the memory.

Maddie Hinch was inspired in goal for the Brits who were on the back foot for much of their clash with the two-time defending Olympic champions.

Not a single member of this Dutch side had ever lost a match at a Games coming into this final – but where the reigning champions were wasteful, the Brits were ruthless.

Strikes from Lily Owsley, Cullen and Nicola White and a resilient backs-to-the-wall defensive display meant they were somehow level 3-3 at the end of normal time.

Dutch skipper Maartje Paumen and Kitty van Male (2) had been the goalscorers for the dominant Dutch but they could not find an all-important winner.

And with Hinch unbeatable in the British goal, Helen Richardson-Walsh and Hollie Webb fired home to secure a 2-0 shootout win and spark the wildest of celebrations for Danny Kerry’s side.

“That’s surreal. Some days you know you are going to win and even though we didn’t actually play very well, we toughed it out,” said Kerry.

“We know we are good at shoot-outs, we have some tough characters and we’ve got the best goalkeeper in the world - so that was the moment I knew.

“Maddie hasn’t had to do a great deal in the last few games but she showed her class. We are always talking about finding a way to win and that’s what we did.

“We defended well and then changed our tactics and it paid off. Eight of the group are multiple Olympians and we needed their experience and perhaps this will be the end for some of them.

“If you keep getting up when people knocked you down, then you will get there in the end and that’s why we are winning gold medals.”

This is a victory that will live long in the memory - legends like captain Kate Richardson-Walsh and Cullen could not have scripted a better career swansong.

And let us not lose sight of what a remarkable transformation the side have undergone under the re-appointed head coach Kerry.

After finishing down in 11th at the World Cup two years ago under Jason Lee – few could have dreamt of the gold-medal match here in Rio.

But, slowly but surely, after Commonwealth silver and then victory at the EuroHockey Championships last year – they have come into their own under the reappointed Kerry.

Seven wins from seven here in Brazil – no team had ever won eight at a Games before – had them riding the crest of a wave into the gold-medal match.

But making the gold-medal match and winning the biggest prize in the sport are two entirely separate things, especially against this era-defining Dutch side.

Hinch had to produce an array of dazzling saves throughout to keep it close while up the other end Sophie Bray’s superb juggling set up Owsley’s opener.

Cullen’s strike on the verge of half-time through the legs of Joyce Sombroek – who had only conceded two goals in the entire tournament before this final – was another highlight.

But in truth these were isolated attacking incidents for the Brits in a final that was dominated by the Dutch.

But with Hinch an immoveable force the game was to be decided on a penalty shootout – and it was left to Webb to secure Team GB's first gold medal.

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