Last-minute Heartbreaks

First topic message reminder :

Losses are always had to take but there are some games which punch you in the stomach. I can't be the only one to shy away from reading the sports pages after a brutal loss. There's that moment when you wake up the following morning, feeling quite chipper, and then the dark clouds of memory return, to ruin your day. As an England sports fan, there have been quite a few of those over years.

There's something immeasurably sadder about a defeat at the death. In 1999, I think I wandered the streets back home feeling almost physically sick after Scott Gibbs had danced through at Wembley to beat England. The grand slam gone, and the title too.

Which other games can you recall with a cruel finish? I've probably tried to forget most of them over the years so might need to be reminded by those with happier memories from the other side of the fence. Here are some that I recall (including a couple where England came out winners):

1978 Wales vs New Zealand - Quittenton awards All Blacks a last penalty kick (edited)
1991 World Cup Quarter Final Ireland vs Australia - Lynagh gets the Wallabies out of jail.
1993 First Lions Test vs New Zealand - last minute penalty gives the All Blacks a win
1999 England vs Wales Five Nations - As above.
2000 England vs Australia - Dan Luger 87th minute try gives England 1st win over Wallabies in 5 years
2003 World Cup Final Australia vs England - it was heading to a shoot-out until Wilkinson put it over.
2009 Second Lions Test vs South Africa - long range penalty sends the Lions to a series loss

Of course, there's another class of gut-punch, which is when your side blows a chance to win it at the death with a missed kick or butchered try. Few recall that Mike Catt had attempted a drop goal to win back that 1999 Five Nations match against Wales. Those aren't always obvious, though. It was a snatched attempt by Catt, taken from too far out. You tell yourself that the whole team is to blame for not scoring more points earlier, but don't quite believe it.

Outside that 1993 Lions Test, I can't remember losing at the death to New Zealand. When England haven't managed a rare win, they've usually beaten us handily. I feel for Ireland to have gone down twice in that fashion in recent games.

You are not allowed to talk football on this forum mate.

As I've said, it's been well and truly shunned. London Scottish, Glasgow Warriors and the misery that is the Scottish national rugby team for me from here on in.

I like football

I just get told off every time I talk about it.

Rugby fans can be very snobbish about football

mystiroakey wrote:I just get told off every time I talk about it.

Rugby fans can be very snobbish about football

No we are not, we just find football so complex. It is hard to understand, when you may use your hands, when you have offside lines, when the ball is out.. erm, yeah, that's about it.  

Yeah off course mate !!

If football's become acceptable for a second.....

Roy Hodgson being announced as the England manager when we all thought Redknapp had it in the bag?

Got to be one of the most underwhelming (and hilarious) annoucements/reaction of the last 10 years.

Springboks vs All blacks Soweto 2010

mystiroakey wrote:I just get told off every time I talk about it.

Rugby fans can be very snobbish about football

"...about that other sport" is how you word that one, mystir!!! Careful - remeber the rules!

Heartbreaks for Wales recently:

Wales vs France 2011 world cup semi - Halfpenny's last kick agonisingly short
Wales vs Australia 2012 summer tour second test, last minute penalty
Wales vs Australia 2012 summer tour third test, last minute penalty
Wales vs Australia 2012 autumn internationals, last minute try

Taylorman wrote:"1978 Wales vs New Zealand - Andy Haden's histrionics gives the All Blacks a last penalty kick"

Its still bent in this way? 50,000 years later?
Haden was stupid and attempted to cheat. But that had nothing to do with the penalty, which was awarded for Geoff Wheels holding down of Pierce (Pierce from memory).

Quittendon said it at the time but perhaps the bent version is glossier and somehow 'more acceptable'.

Not sure any kiwi can talk about this when you're all still banging on about 1905 and the mythical deathbed confession.

Dourauldscot wrote:Another long time lurker signing up at last!

The greatest last minute heartbreak I ever witnessed was Barking V London Scottish in the final game of the National League 1 2010-11 season.  Barking came into this top of the table, winner takes all decider having not lost a game all season. Scottish, having had a slow start to the season, had kept themselves in touching distance by picking up quite a few winning bonus points. Barking were the superior team that day, being more than worth their 13-10 lead going into the final moments of the game. As they pressed on for the killer blow, just 10 metres from the Scottish line, the flyhalf threw a long pass out towards the wings. At this point, Scottish’s Howells pounced, running the length of the field to wrench the game, the title and the promotion from Barking’s grasp. I was there and was too full of sympathy for the Barking fans to celebrate in front of them – instead waiting until the pitch invasion was in full swing. It was a real ‘Sliding Doors’ moment with Scottish going from strength to strength, consolidating their position in the Championship and now pressing for a place in the playoffs. By contrast, that defeat was a killer blow to Barking who had invested a lot in their promotion push that year and are currently on a run of 10 straight defeats in National league 3 London & SE.

You can see the try on youtube by searching London Scottish Barking (Can't post links yet)

This post made me happy

I remember Paul grayson coming on to kick a winning penalty against scarlets in the Heineken Cup. I was at that game and was pretty gutted.

Has anyone mentioned Tim Stimpson's twice-off-the-posts last-minute penalty win for Leicester against the Scarlets?

SecretFly wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:I just get told off every time I talk about it.

Rugby fans can be very snobbish about football

"...about that other sport" is how you word that one, mystir!!!  Careful - remeber the rules!

Sorry ,I will refer to it as the beautiful game from here on in.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Has anyone mentioned Tim Stimpson's twice-off-the-posts last-minute penalty win for Leicester against the Scarlets?

O my godi forgot about that. Thanks very much

Dourauldscot wrote:I was only 9 at the time, it was before I saw the light and shunned the roundball for the egg.....

But still a Rangers fan?

captain carrantuohil wrote:1994 Calcutta Cup - Jon Callard slots an undeserved winning penalty for England at Murrayfield with the last kick of the game. Big Gav promptly bursts into tears during his interview.

1974 Calcutta Cup - Andy Irvine slots a penalty from wide on the right at Murrayfield with the last kick of the game to give Scotland victory.

and Bill Beaumont burst into tears ?

Hopefully today's game will be a good win and not a nervy finish