Glaswegian Lee Morton struck a stunning brace to earn a 2-2 draw with Netherlands just a few years after nearly quitting hockey altogether.

Morton is one of the most gifted players that Britain has produced but having been dropped from the GB programme in 2019, was on the brink of leaving the sport.

Just a few yards from the spot where fellow Scot Eric Liddell won gold at the 1924 Games, a moment immortalised in ‘Chariots of Fire’, Morton scripted his own sporting fairytale with two brilliantly taken goals in the last five minutes.

“I had given up on the Olympic dream,” said the 29-year-old.

“I was at rock bottom and going to quit, but I stuck with it and to be here now with all of my family watching, it’s pretty special.”

Morton's magical moment was witnessed by scores of his nearest and dearest, with his brother surprising the family by flying in from Australia to watch the Games.

Princess Anne was also in the building, sporting a natty Team GB bucket hat to shield from broiling Parisian heat, and duly rewarded with a thrilling contest between the top two nations in the world.

After goals from Floris Wortelboerk and Thijs van Dam left his side chasing the game, Morton weaving his way through the box and crashing home to halve the deficit with five minutes on the clock.

In the dying moments, the ball sat up beautifully for Morton who lashed home a fierce leveller to silence a Dutch-dominated crowd.

It was a crucial intervention in the context of Team GB’s ambitions to win their first gold medal in men’s hockey since Seoul 1988.

Having thrashed Spain 4-0 in their opener, Paul Revington’s side had to come from behind to earn a 2-2 draw against South Africa and their resilience was laid bare once more in an epic encounter with the Dutch, who they could easily meet again in the medal matches.

“We never give up,” said Morton. “Until that final whistle blows, we’ll back ourselves to create chances and score goals.

“We thought it was pretty harsh to be 2-0 down, so to come back in the last few minutes and salvage a point was good. We keep an unbeaten record and overall, very happy.”

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