Holly Lam-Moores scores two goals as Team GB lose to Russia in London

The 22-year-old from Orford, who is still recovering from an injury and hence started on the bench, played an excellent stint on the left wing and capped off her 35 minutes on the court with two well-taken goals in the second half.

Moores, who has just been signed by one of Denmark’s top teams Viborg, showed why she was sought after on the continent by being strong in defence and hitting the crossbar as Team GB battled bravely against the six-time Olympic medallists.

Moores came on to the court after 16 minutes and was immediately involved with keeping the Russians at bay, though she sometimes cut an isolated figure on the left wing as the three-time World Champions showed their class to open a 17-8 lead at the break.

Team GB played ferociously throughout and though goalkeeper Sarah Hargreaves made an excellent 12 saves during an inspired start to the second half, there was little the hosts could do to nullify the Russian’s fast breaks.

Moores scored the first of her goals when a mix-up in the Russian defence allowed her to scoop up the loose ball and power it past the Russian goalkeeper on 36 minutes.

She almost doubled her tally moments later, a set-play letting her cut in from the wing and lob the ball deftly over the approaching keeper, only for the shot to cruelly bounce back off the crossbar.

But she completed her double thanks to one of Team GB’s only fast breaks of the match on 57 minutes, sprinting clear following a blocked shot and slotting the ball into the left corner with the Russian defence all at sea.

Moores and her teammates are the first British women’s team to compete in handball at an Olympic Games and were never in with a shout of winning the match against one of the world’s elite teams, but they will take heart from the result and the performance as they prepare for their next preliminary match against Brazil on Wednesday, 4.15pm start.