If the poor bloke for whom an ambulance was called before the kick-off in tonight's game at Bob Jane Stadium between South Melbourne and Perth Glory had felt stressed before the start of the match, he can thank his lucky stars he was carried out before his heart was subjected to one of the most remarkable Ericsson Cup games this season.
South Melbourne, still weakened by the absence of its four Olyroos and David Clarkson, faced a Perth side famous for its away form, and fighting for its post-season life. Last year Perth missed the Finals, this year it's in trouble of missing out again, but with it all still to play for.
The nervousness of South Melbourne fans fell away after South went three up shortly into the second half. Con Boutsianis had opened the scoring with a screamer of a free kick from 25 metres which flew past Tony Franken after just thirteen minutes following a foul on Goran Lozanovski.
Eight minutes into what was to become an incident-packed second half, Trimboli held a ball deep in the right side of his own half, saw Coveney making a run down the opposite wing and passed a perfectly directed diagonal ball. Coveney took the ball, switched in to his right foot and struck a shot into the top right corner. A peach of a goal, and one that allowed the home support to think it was time to celebrate.
South stretched its lead to three shortly after when John Atanasiadis headed home a deep cross sent in from the left by Coveney. But as it transpired, the turning point had come just a minute before.
It was then that Bobby Despotovski had been replaced by Vas Kalogeracos. Despotovski had been ineffective. Kalagerakos was to make the difference. Perhaps stung by the possibility that their season was over with two games still to play, Perth committed players forward. At times, six comprised the forward line in the efforts to scramble back into the contest.
The pressure told. With the game three-quarters gone, Perth got one back. Kalogeracos was first to a ball blocked but not held by Jason Petkovic after a long-range shot.
Four minutes later, a throw from the left was headed on to where Kalogeracos scored again, this time looping a header over Petkovic. The fans and the players sensed the tide was turning. As an indication of how dire was the position, South sent on Billy Damianos - scarcely returned from the international series which had concluded in Perth the evening before and which saw him leave the field limping - for the tiring Steve Panopoulos.
But the threatened equaliser came anyway ten minutes from the end. An innocuous through ball had Petkovic and two defenders to cover it, but in the tangle the ball was diverted into the unguarded net. Kalogeracos was the announced scorer, and was surely a tribute to the change he wrought since arriving just twenty minutes before.
The game was to end with a flurry of cards. Lozanovski, De Amicis, and Siasia were all booked in the last minutes, joining Carbone, Trimboli, and substitute McVittie.
It was a game where the crowd got value for money, and where the small band of Perth supporters claimed a good return for their continued vocal presence despite being 0-3 down at one stage.
South supporters have to wait another week to claim the championship and a right to play for the Grand Final position.