Played at Mannion Park, Middlesborough on June 28th 1997, as part of the EuroNet 97 tournament.
With no mathematical chance of qualifying for the knock-out stages, you could have excused the Sleeping Giants if they went into the final Stockport game with little passion or commitment. But they *didn't*! They approached the game with just the same enthusiasm and thoroughly deserved to be a goal up by half time through a Philip Corti tap-in. Not to let the moment pass un-noticed, Klinsmann and Ravenelli type goal celebrations were very much the order of the day!
Soon after the break Stuart Hill made a long jinking run from deep within the Giants half and cooly slotted the ball home past the hapless keeper. It was not undeserved and the Giants looked to have the game sewn up. The players were able to relax more, so much so that a certain player-manager called Porl who shall remain nameless, executed a bare-faced-cheeked moon to his watching girlfriend on the sidelines. Despite the team's sterling efforts, fatigue set in and late on Stockport were able to claw their way back into the game. With minutes remaining, they scored an equaliser and both teams had to be satisfied with their first respective points of the tournament.
The Sleeping Giants finished their group in third place which was a marvellous achievement in the circumstances. The main thing is everyone had a bloody good time and to all those who missed the chance to represent their clubs - yah boo sucks.
