Football: A nerve-racking 1999 - the year the action went down to the wire: Goal from keeper Glass earns a reprieve

League survival at Brunton Park Carlisle United v Plymouth Argyle

TORQUAY UNITED once preserved their League place by scoring a goal in time added on for treatment to a player whose leg had been bitten by a police dog - but that was routine stuff compared to what happened at Brunton Park on 8 May.

Carlisle United, who had briefly led the old First Division 25 years ago, were on the brink of relegation to the Conference. Their only rivals for the drop, Scarborough, had drawn at home to Peterborough in a Third Division fixture which had finished well ahead of the game in Cumbria.

Carlisle knew they had to beat Plymouth Argyle to stay up. The sides were level at one goal each with just seconds of injury time left when the home side won one last corner.

It was time for desperate measures. Jimmy Glass, Carlisle's on-loan goalkeeper, galloped the length of the pitch to join the attack. The corner found the head of Scott Dobie at the near post. James Dungey, Plymouth's part- time keeper, clawed the ball out - but only as far as his opposite number lurking on the six-yard line.

With one swing of his right boot, Glass lashed the ball into the net for an extraordinary winning goal. He wheeled away before being swamped by his team-mates, closely followed by swathes of disbelieving fans.

On the east coast, Scarborough's players were inconsolable as their hopes of League survival were ended.

The day after, Glass returned to Swindon Town, where he is under contract for another three years. He has refused an offer to return to Brunton Park on loan, knowing there was no way he could, as they say, follow that.

Rupert Metcalf