Saving it all up until the final whistle

Mark Paston saves a shot at goal by Italy. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Amie Paston knows not to get too excited until the final whistle has blown because anything can, and usually does, happen in a football match.

The wife of All Whites goalkeeper Mark Paston, 34, couldn't quite believe what she was seeing watching the team's thrilling 1-1 draw with world champions Italy yesterday morning.

"It's completely surreal. I just sort of sit there and try and detach myself emotionally from the fact I'm linked to someone in the game and try and take it in."

Mrs Paston has stayed at home to look after the couple's 10-month-old son, Jack, but her husband's parents and two brothers are in South Africa following him. She told the Herald she couldn't let herself get too excited until the final whistle.

"As a goalkeeper anything can happen. He pulled off some brilliant saves but the thing is, if something unfortunately goes wrong, that's all anyone remembers ... It's a tricky position to be in."

Not that anything went wrong yesterday. "[When] Shane [Smeltz] scored the goal I couldn't believe it really. It wasn't what I was expecting so early on, I don't think anyone was."

Mrs Paston watched the game with family, who got excited when the commentators began to praise her husband towards the end of the match. But she knew he would be quick to heap praise on his teammates.

"I've been impressed with the whole campaign. They've just worked so well as a team, I think that's been the key to how well they've done."

Jack only started to crawl when Paston left on the World Cup campaign. The couple have been keeping in touch via Skype every second day or so, and he has been able to watch Jack crawl and walk around the furniture.

"He's been able to see our wee man because he's started crawling and walking around while he's been away, so I think it's sort of grounded him a wee bit. We don't talk much about matches in detail."

Paston's sister Jo Gascoigne thought her older brother "played out of his skin", carrying on from his star role during the Bahrain match.

"That got us to the World Cup but this game proves the All Whites belong there."

She said Paston would say it wasn't just him but "10 other guys on the field that really made it happen, that put the defence barrier up and made sure they just couldn't get anything through".

"He definitely put his body on the line with those saves [against Italy] and playing for his country means a lot to him. He' d do it again and again if he had the chance.

She added: "After the Slovakian goal I think we woke the entire neighbourhood."