China's Liang Meiyu fends off Emily Maguire at the Riverbank Arena as Danny Kerry's Great Britain women lost 2-1 on Saturday night.

Great Britain women’s King’s Lynn head coach Danny Kerry admitted sloppy errors cost his side the chance to confirm their semi-final berth at the London Olympics.

The hosts needed a point to qualify but conceded second-half penalty corners from Fu Baorong and Zhao Yudiao as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat to China, with Crista Cullen’s late set-piece unable to salvage the situation.

Qualification remains in GB’s own hands but on Monday they must beat defending champions and world number one outfit Holland, who have already booked their place in the last four, to be sure.

A draw may get them through providing China do not win heavily against bottom side Japan.

“China sat very deep in the first half,” said Kerry, who revealed midfielder Anne Panter had received several stitches in a mouth wound having been hit in the face by a ball.

“We were trying to open them up and we had a flurry of corners in the first half and I thought their goalkeeper did very well with the rebound shot from Crista – that was a match-defining moment.

“I felt the Chinese did well at getting bodies behind the ball and breaking up play and we were nowhere near our best at breaking that down.

“It was a poor error which led to the first China goal and it is moments like that when things go against you.

“Then we had to step out more and that allowed more space for China to attack a bit more and we didn’t execute attacking the goal that well.”

Captain Kate Walsh played the full 70 minutes in her first appearance since fracturing her cheekbone six days ago.

And the Reading defender insists they do not have to make huge changes ahead of the clash with Holland.

“We know we didn’t play our best and ball retention was not our best and we should have been more patient,” she said.

“There is nothing magical or amazing we have to turn out for the next game, we just have to bring our game.

“We will raise our game, I have no doubt about that. We are a fit side and we will come back fighting.”

China coach Kim Sangryul was delighted his side kept their semi-final hopes alive.

“I am really very happy because in the last two years we have not beaten GB but this time, at the Olympics, we beat them,” he said.

“Our players played very aggressively because today was our last chance to stay in contention for the semi-finals, and so our players played hard.”