Super Bowl 2012 Half Time Score: New England Patriots Lead New York Giants 10-9

(Reuters) - Tom Brady threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Danny Woodhead with eight seconds left on the clock to give the New England Patriots a 10-9 halftime lead in Sunday's Super Bowl.

The touchdown capped a Super Bowl-tying 96-yard scoring drive by the Patriots, who overcame a sluggish start that put them behind 9-0 in the first quarter.

New York scored the first points of the game on a safety and a two-yard touchdown pass from Eli Manning to Victor Cruz that put the Giants ahead 9-0.

The safety came when Brady dropped back into the end zone to pass on New England's first play from scrimmage at the six-yard line.

Under pressure from a rush by defensive end Justin Tuck, Brady threw the ball away and was flagged for intentional grounding for a safety that gave New York two points.

New York marched down field on the subsequent free kick from the Patriots, and finished the drive with the pass to Cruz, who gave his trademark salsa celebration dance.

New England closed to within 9-3 on a 29-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski early in the second quarter.

Tight end Rob Gronkowski, whose sprained ankle kept him from practicing until a few days before the Super Bowl, made a lunging 20-yard catch from Brady on the go-ahead drive.