Chapter 138: Fighting for Every Inch
Chapter 138: Fighting for Every Inch
Saturday, September 21, 2010
Bescot Stadium, Walsall
Matchday 8: Walsall vs. Crawley Town
The days following Crawley’s narrow win over Leyton Orient passed in a blur of cold mornings and bruising drills.
The excitement from that late goal faded quickly, replaced by the pressure of what lay ahead.
Mist clung to the grass at Broadfield as players slogged through the wet turf, their boots squelching with every step.
But Niels didn’t ease up. The Europa League group stage was fast approaching, and the draw had been brutal: Bayer Leverkusen, Fiorentina, and Rosenborg.
Crawley wasn’t ready for European competition yet. But despite that, they were on their way there anyway.
That looming challenge influenced every decision this week. The squad couldn’t afford to lose ground in League One not now, especially with only a few points separating them from the top. But their legs were getting tired, and their minds were divided.
Walsall, the next opponents, weren’t flashy or glamorous. But they were dangerous.. tough, physical, and relentless. The kind of team that would drag you into the mud and wear you down until you had nothing left.
Niels understood this well. Every training session that week felt like a clear warning.