Ref. 31067-75Supporters suffer spot kick misery as England bow out of Euro 2004

SWINDON was heartbroken last night as England's dreams of Euro 2004 glory were left cruelly shattered.

The feeling across town was summed up by one crestfallen fan 18-year-old Paul Farrell.

"We were robbed, it's always the same," he said, sitting with his head in his hands and dropping a St George's flag to the floor.

After a dramatic game, Portugal crushed England's hopes of reaching the semi-finals with a 6-5 penalty shoot-out win.

But it had all started out so promisingly.

A goal in the third minute by Michael Owen sent a shockwave through the Lava Lounge in Fleet Street.

"Go Owen, go," screamed Paul Hawkins, 27, from Stratton, who was covered in a giant flag.

Paul's spirits weren't even dented when Wayne Rooney went off half way through the first half with a foot injury.

"I am gutted, he's a national hero, but we have Owen and Beckham, and we can do it," he said optimistically.

Other fans, like Gareth Thorpe, 26, from Walcot, were already predicting a 2-1 England victory.

"It will be an England France final, and we will get our revenge," he said.

But it soon became clear that England were in for a fight.

Fans in the nearby Litten Tree strained their tonsils in a bid to will their heroes to victory.

But not even a roaring rendition of the National Anthem could prevent Helder Postiga's header for the host nation.

The pub erupted as Sol Campbell appeared to score in the last remaining minutes, but fans were left screaming at the referee when the goal was disallowed.

The tension rose as the game went into extra time, and a brilliant strike by Portugal's Rui Costa sent fans to their knees, hammering the floor in despair.

Zoe Giles, 30, from Pinehurst, had tears in her eyes.

"No, no, no," she wailed. "Come on England."

Fans raised the volume in a bid for better luck, and it appeared to work.

Frank Lampard was hailed with chants of 'Super Frankie' when he equalised.

But fans were left commiserating each other, and grumbling about the referee, when the penalty shoot-out ended in defeat for Sven's men.

"It's terrible, I'm so disappointed," said Reg Little, 18, from Cheney Manor.

"We just can't seem to do penalties, it's always our downfall.

"It's the fourth time it's happened to us.''

Tamash Lal