group game Holland put seven past the Brits, with only two coming back. The 7th/8th playoff game saw GB take on Ukraine, the only side they had beaten in competitive hockey so far. Ukraine skated to a 2–0 victory which saw GB finish 8th out of 8 teams. A trip to Slovakia was in store for GB in Pool B in 1996. GB started positively with a much better account against Denmark who they had been routed against the previous year falling only to a 5–0 defeat. They lost in their 2nd game against the Danes who GB had previously done well against collapsing to a 7–1 defeat. That scoreline was repeated in the final group round game against the Dutch to leave GB adrift at the bottom of their group. The 7th/8th playoff saw GB take on Kazakhstan and for the first time in the tournament, team GB took the game to their opponents in a thrilling encounter. The Asian side was just able to edge ahead and won by the odd goal in 9 leaving GB in 8th out of 8 place and without a win in two years. Following a re-structuring in 1999 for the World Championships, (and no championship in 1998 due to it being an Olympic year), GB finally came back into the new Pool B Qualifying Group to decide the final spot in Pool B for the following year. In Székesfehérvár, Hungary, Great Britain opened brightly holding Italy to a 1–1 draw after 40 minutes in the opening game before Italy stepping the game up a gear to skate out to a 4–1 victory however the signs looked good. The next game was against the hapless South Africa, which ended to be a sporting contest on the opening puck drop with GB running up their highest ever victory at International level with a 22–0 victory. After a slow start in the final game GB hit the host team Hungary hard with five quick goals in a match that ended up as 9–1 to the Brits, leaving them finish 2nd out of 4 teams. 2000s It was back to Hungary in the year 2000, for the Pool B Qualifying Tournament. GB again had a strong start with the Brits 1–1 against the Group Favourites DPR Korea in their first game. Korea struck back with two 2nd period goals but despite a fightback by GB, the