Snapwatch: Patriots v Rams

All the action from New Orleans and the Patriots' shock Super Bowl win over the St Louis Rams.

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PRE-GAME:

St Louis go into the NFL's showcase game as clear favourites and call on the offensive talents of quarterback Kurt Warner and running back Marshall Faulk.

Freedom: McCartney gave a rousing rendition

The Patriots start with Tom Brady at quarterback, but have Drew Bledsoe on hand as able back-up. They will be hoping to make it third time lucky in New Orleans Super Bowls, having lost their two previous appearances to the Bears and the Packers.

Paul McCartney headlines the build-up with a rousing rendition of Freedom in front of 80,000 frenzied football fans. Mariah Carey has the honour of singing the American national anthem.

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FIRST QUARTER

The Rams win the toss and elect to receive. Yo Murphy, who played three years with the Scottish Claymores, makes a 38-yard return to hand St Louis prime field position.

Kurt Warner fails to drive the Rams into field goal range and the Patriots earn their first offensive assault. Tom Brady starts in confident fashion but his drive also falters.

Jeff Wilkins gives St Louis the lead with a 50-yard field goal after good offensive work from Warner and Faulk. The Patriots defence are finding good coverage deep, but are being forced to surrender short gains.

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SECOND QUARTER

Warner has the ball in the second quarter, but he is sacked hard. From third and 15 Az-Zahir Hakim makes a big play to keep the drive going, but Wilkins misses a 52-yard field goal attempt.

The Patriots defence are performing very well to limit the Rams scoring opportunities to distant kicks at goal. They are also hurrying Warner and keeping close tabs on Faulk, who only has 22 rushing yards.

New England are finding things more difficult at their offensive end and another Brady drive breaks down in their own territory.

Patriot: New England started as underdogs

Ty Law returns the ball for a touchdown to give New England a shock lead and kicker Adam Vinatieri adds the extra point.

An elusive run from Faulk gains the Rams 15 yards, but Warner is picked off on the very next play when he panics in the face of a New England blitz.

Another failed possession for Warner. St Louis' offensive juggernaut has not got rolling in New Orleans.

The momentum is firmly with the Patriots. A forced fumble hands them possession and Troy Brown make good yardage. The coaches exchange time-outs.

Sensational scenes as the confident Brady spots David Patten in the endzone and rifles a pass to him for New England's second touchdown. An improbable upset now looks on the cards.

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HALF-TIME

U2 play to rapturous reception as the names of those killed in the 11 September attacks scroll on a massive screen behind them.

Brady bunch: Patriots take an early lead

Bill Belichick will be much the happier head coach at half-time. His Patriots have unsettled Warner and are good value for their surprising lead.

Mike Martz's St Louis look well below par. They have posted their lowest half-time score of the season and must overturn the biggest second-half deficit in Super Bowl history if they are to prevail.

First-half leaders have won 27 times and lost only seven times in the history of the NFL's showcase game.

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THIRD QUARTER

New England pick up where they left off, gaining good rushing yards and playing with confidence and bright ideas.

More frustration for St Louis. Warner is still being hurried and is having a poor game in the face of New England's blitz tactics.

Law puts New England in front

Antowain Smith is having a big game for the Patriots and surprisingly leads Marshall Faulk in rushing, having notched 57 yards.

Faulk starts to assert his running game and drives the Rams towards Patriot territory. A third-quarter score will lift the favourites' waning confidence.

A dreadful pass from Warner undoes Faulk's good work and St Louis face a big task if they are to bounce back now.

The Patriots benefit from the good field position they inherit, adding a 37-yard Vinatieri field goal to their score.

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FOURTH QUARTER

The Rams, who could not stop scoring in the regular season, only have a field goal to show for their efforts and Super Bowl XXXVI is now New England's to lose.

Warner wriggles away from an intended sack and keeps St Louis driving forward. He finds Faulk on the next play and the Rams are first and goal.

St Louis gamble on a fourth down, having been kept out by the inspired New England defence.

Warner took some heavy sacks

Warner fumbles the ball attempting a sneak and Tebucky Jones appears to have scored the winning touchdown at the other end.

But the play is brought back and Warner subsequently scores an unchallenged touchdown to hand the Rams a life-line.

The Rams are now being lfited by an increasingly loud Super Dome crowd.

The St Louis defence steps up to win the ball back for Warner, who takes a big hit before connecting with Ricky Proehl.

Unusually, neither team have a time-out as the game enters its last four minutes.

St Louis take up possession on their own 45-yard line and sweep up the field to score via a 26-yard reception from Proehl.

New England have under two minutes to score the winning points. Otherwise, this is destined to be the first overtime game in Super Bowl history.

Adam Vinatieri converts a 48-yard field goal to win the Super Bowl for New England as time runs out. It has been a superb team effort and the franchise is rewarded with its first Super Bowl victory.