EVENING Telegraph reporter AMANDA KILLELEA was in the Charleroi stadium last night and watched her brother-in-law Phil Neville concede THAT penalty that sealed England's Euro 2000 demise. Here she gives her opinion on the match and reports on how the soccer carnival turned to gloom.

ALWAYS the bridesmaid but never the bride. Our boys were so near, but yet so far and once again it wasn't to be.

The thousands of England fans who had sung their hearts out in the cramped Charleroi stadium made their way home heartbroken -- once again their dreams had been shattered.

My dreams were shattered too -- but things were made more nail-biting by the fact that Phil Neville is my brother-in-law and I was watching the game with my sister -- his wife.

Everyone in the ground was devastated when the referee awarded a penalty against England in the dying moments of the game.

The only hope for Kevin Keegan's men was that Nigel Martyn would save the day -- but it wasn't to be.

The Romanian fans were ecstatic and out-sang England's army for the first time during the game.

But just a few hours earlier, those same fans had mingled together enjoying the carnival atmosphere in the infamous Charleroi square.

Days earlier, the square had been the scene of ugly hooliganism and violence.

But yesterday it was filled with joy as fans partied to the sounds of a Caribbean band, and gendarmes looked on as Romanian and English fans laughed and joked and took each other's pictures.

As the hot June sun baked down on the dusty pavements, fans cooled off in the Charleroi fountain and swigged low-alcohol beer out of plastic cups.

Union Jack flags hung from every lamp post proclaiming the fans' allegiance to Preston North End, Bristol Rovers, Arsenal and almost every other football club in the land. Impromptu games of football kicked off around us as we stood soaking up the atmosphere as everyone swayed to the music and believed that England would win.

Burnley fans Gareth Burton, 24, and Nathan Edwards, 24, of Ightenhill, had travelled from Burnley to Dublin and then on to Belgium especially for the game.

Draped in a Clarets flag, Gareth said: "We have had a fantastic time. I managed to get two tickets at the last minute so we decided to come out here. We haven't seen any trouble at all and I think England are going to win it."

He was going to be disappointed.

Another Clarets' fan making his way through the Charleroi streets to the stadium was Nigel Taylor, of Ramsbottom.

He said: " I have had a brilliant time so far and I haven't seen any trouble."

England fans filled more than three-quarters of the stadium, far outnumbering Romania's following.

Union Jack flags marked the seats of fans who had travelled from Clayton-le-Moors and Burnley as well as towns from right across the nation.

And all their voices united as one to create the electric atmosphere inside the ground. Even when Romania scored after 20 minutes, it didn't dampen the fans' spirits.

When Alan Shearer stepped up to take the penalty the voices silenced and the ground was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. But then the crowd roared with delight as he slotted it home. You could feel the elation filling the stadium's every corner.

"We're not going home," the fans sang and the England Supporters' Band fired up yet another rendition of the Great Escape.

Little did they know they would be heading for home just an hour later. Then England took a two-goal lead only to see the score level once more. But still the fans thought they were going to make it to the next stage of the competition. Until two minutes from time.

At the end of the day, England just weren't good enough.

Critics may blame Phil but at the end of the day England had conceded two goals before the penalty was given away - other players made mistakes too. The penalty may have been the final nail in England's coffin, but the damage had already been done and the ironic thing is that Phil was one of the few men in white shirts who had played well on the night.