Ahmad Bradshaw ran six yards for the deciding touchdown with 57 seconds remaining on Sunday to give the New York Giants a 21-17 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 46.

It was the fourth Super Bowl triumph for the Giants, who also defeated the Patriots in the 2008 NFL championship match and captured the crown in 1987 and 1991.

The Patriots were clinging to a two-point lead when Eli Manning led the Giants on an 88-metre touchdown drive in the closing minutes capped by Bradshaw’s scoring run.

New England took over needing a touchdown in the dying seconds but quarterback Tom Brady could not pull off a miracle.

Brady made two late throws to the end zone from midfield, the last on the game’s final play, but New York defenders made certain the Giants would get their fairytale finish after starting the season 7-7 and winning six games in a row when one defeat would have doomed their unlikely title dream.