SLOUGH Hockey Club have added Darcy-Leigh Alexander to their Investec Women’s Conference East squad.

However, the pink and black have lost England international Shona McCallin to Premier Division side Holcombe, the Kent-based club who are able to make big financial offers to top players.

Despite being involved in the semi-finals in June, McCallin has been left out of the Great Britain squad for the World League finals tournament to be held in Argentina and starting on December 5.

However, there is a recall for Ashleigh Ball, who is registered with Slough but not playing for them due to her full-time commitments.

Ball told the Observer this week: “At this stage I’m not playing for a club although it might change later in the season.

“Effectively, I’m still half coming back from injury and I feel I need to use weekends more constructively for my own benefit.

“Rather than travelling and playing club games, I think it’s more beneficial to have an extra session here [at Bisham] whether it is fitness or speed or whatever.

“I’m using it to physically keep myself where I need to be.”

Ball has made a successful return to international hockey after being sidelined for a year due to ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and MCL (medial collateral ligament) damage, with her knee also having to be reconstructed.

She then suffered a stress fracture during her rehab.

The 29-year-old European gold medallist still keeps tabs on Slough and, commenting on the shock defeat on Sunday, she said: “It was a shame they lost, but they’re still a great team.

“Their players are strong and they will come back and do well.”