New Customers £10 Completely Free Bet
Sky Bet are offering all new customers a £10 completely free bet. Claim your free bet now
The New York Giants once again produced a late comeback to break New England hearts and win Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis on Sunday night.
Four years ago in the Arizona desert Eli Manning hit Plaxico Burress for a last-gasp game winner to end the Patriots' pursuit of perfection in Super Bowl XLII.
And this time Ahmad Bradshaw scored on a six-yard run with just over a minute remaining to give the Giants a dramatic 21-17 victory.
Bradshaw's score capped an 88-yard drive for the Giants as Manning again rubber-stamped his reputation as the NFL's finest fourth-quarter signal caller. He finished 30 of 40 for 296 yards with a touchdown, and was named the game's Most Valuable Player.
Meanwhile his opposite number Tom Brady once again endured late heartbreak, after looking set to get his revenge for that bitter 2008 defeat.
The Patriots QB, looking to win a fourth Super Bowl ring, had brought his team back from an early 9-0 deficit to lead 17-9 early in the third quarter.
The Giants were full of confidence after superb playoff road wins in Green Bay and San Francisco.
And they got the perfect start when Brady was called for intentional grounding from his own endzone on New England's first offensive play to concede a safety and a 2-0 lead.
Manning, who completed his first nine passes, then capitalised by leading the Giants on a scoring drive that he capped with a 2-yard strike to Victor Cruz.
New England was struggling to get into any sort of rhythm, but they did get on the board when Stephen Gostkowski booted a 29-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 9-3.
And then Brady turned the game around either side of half-time with two classic scoring drives of 96 yards and 79 yards.
The first, which tied the longest scoring march in Super Bowl history, came in the dying minutes of the first half and ended with a four-yard scoring pass to Danny Woodhead.
The Patriots then came out for the second half and scored again, Brady hitting Aaron Hernandez from 12 yards to make it 17-9 Pats.
By now Brady had completed 16 consecutive passes - another Super Bowl record - and appeared to be on course for MVP honours. But just when the game appeared there for the taking, his hot streak ended and it was Eli who took over.
New York caught a couple of big breaks as well, twice recovering their own fumbles and intercepting a deep Brady pass intended for Rob Gronkowski.
And by the end of the third period they'd cut the gap to 17-15 courtesy of 38 and 33-yard field goals from Lawrence Tynes.
A tense final period remained scoreless until Eli and the Giants took possession at their own 12 with 3:43 remaining. And what followed brought back echoes of Arizona.
Manning displayed the surgical precision that has ended questions about his right to be bracketed in the same elite class as Brady.
He started by hitting Mario Manningham deep down the sideline with a perfect throw for a 38-yard gain to midfield. Then he methodically drove the Giants deep into New England territory with just over a minute remaining.
With the Giants camped at the New England 6, the Patriots literally stepped aside to allow Bradshaw to scamper in - ensuring they would still have enough time to mount a winning drive.
The New York running back actually tried to fall down at the 1-yard line and allow his team to run out the clock, but failed. He ended the game with 72 yards and a score on 17 carries.
Now it was Brady's chance to provide another magical moment and claim a fourth ring, with 80 yards to travel and 57 seconds remaining.
A big sack by Justin Tuck cost the Pats dear, and Brady was left with one last play from his own 49 with five seconds remaining. But when his Hail Mary was batted in the endzone, Gronkowski just couldn't quite scoop it up.
And it was the Giants, 7-7 just a few short weeks ago and on the brink of missing out on the post-season, who claimed a second world championship in the last four years.
