Las Vegas Raiders 25 Miami Dolphins 26/American football

As far as I know American Football has never been covered on the Rust.

When I was on the Express Sport Desk I got this gig only because I had a relative with a condo in Fort Lauderdale and watched the Miami Dolphins in the old Joe Robbie Stadium twice.

Like many I followed the Channel 4 coverage in the 90s.

What an innovative sports channel that was with Italian football, le Tour de France and gridiron all well covered.

The Dolphins were unbeatable in the 70s and had the best quarterback in the business a decade later with Dan Marino but he never got to wear the signet Superbowl Champions ring.

Then my interest waned.

The game did not take off over here though the Wembley Stadium NFL games are a sell out.

Alan Tanner is convinced that Fulham owner Shahid Khan wants to make London the home of his Jacksonville Jaguars.

However my Dolphins rarely even made the play-offs.

This season they are doing better and going into the game v Las Vegas Raiders needed two wins to make the play-offs.

I was awoken by a storm in the early hours and – realising I would never get back to sleep – went to my iPad for the latest Rust offerings and switched on the TV.

Imagine my joy when the game was Las Vegas Raiders v Dolphins and what a thrilling encounter it was with the Dolphins winning with a field goal with the last  kick  of a breathtaking match.