GREAT BRITAIN captain Robert Dowd believes the team’s previous experience of handling the tag of favourites can stand them in good stead in Cardiff this week as they look to keep their Winter Olympics dream alive.

The hosts got their bid to make it through to the final stage of qualifying in August off to the best possible start at the Vindico Arena on Thursday night when they walloped China 10-1.

Dowd was among the goals as former Sheffield Steelers’ team-mate Liam Kirk and Manchester Storm’s Cal Critchlow led the way with two goals apiece. Mark Richardson, Johnny Curran, Cade Neilson, Ben Davies and Nathaniel Halbert also got on the scoresheet in a dominant performance.

Head coach Pete Russell’s team now face Serbia on Saturday before completing their campaign against Romania on Sunday evening.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS: Robert Dowd opened his era as captain with a 10-1 win over China in the Olympic Qualifiers in Cardiff. Picture: Dean Woolley/IHUK Media.

If they finish top of the group – as their higher world ranking suggests they should – they will then take on higher-ranked nations in the final qualifying tournament in the Autumn when three spots are available for the 2026 Winter Olympics which will be staged in Milano-Cortina.

Should they make it all the way to Italy, it will be the first time GB hockey team have reached the Games since 1948, having previously won gold in Germany back in 1936.

In the majority of World Championship tournaments that they have competed in over recent years, GB have often been regarded as the underdogs, except for last year in Nottingham when they vied with Italy for favourites’ status in the Division 1A event which they won to return to the top tier at the first time of asking.

This week has seen them arrive in Cardiff in a similar position to where they were at the 2017 Division 1B Worlds which again saw them start out as favourites in.

WINNING START: The Great Britain bench, pictured during the 10-1 win over China in Cardiff on Thursday. Picture: Dean Woolley/IHUK Media.

The experience of meeting greater expectations should serve the team well this week, insisted Steelers’ forward, Dowd.

“We are used to being the underdog over recent years and trying to scrap for wins,” said Dowd.

“So being favourites is a different feeling for us. But we went through it when we played in Belfast a few years ago and we went through then.

“Back then, everyone rose to the occasion and hopefully we can do that again here.”

On the win over China, Critchlow said: “We didn't even have any video of them, so it was a bit roll the dice and see what happens. But we knew the level we wanted to play at, we wanted to make sure they had to elevate to match our intensity.”

Great Britain captain Robert Dowd says 'great expectations' should be no problem for hosts in Cardiff