Chapter 12: Between the Lines
Sunday, November 8, 2009
The morning after the gritty win at Port Vale, Crawley returned to Broadfield Stadium. The clouds still hung low, and the air was soaked with chill, but spirits were high.
The win had bumped them to 14th in League Two table, a subtle but significant climb. Two wins on the bounce. It was a good progress.
Niels guided the players through a light recovery session that included stretching, foam rolling, and light jogging. No tactics, no drills. Just movement and space to reset.
Dev and Whitehall chatted at the sideline, poking fun at Simons scrambled finish yesterday. Luka was quieter, focused, but more at ease than usual. Reece seemed to float through warm-ups, headphones around his neck, a quiet smile on his face.
Milan came over with his ever-present clipboard. "GPS data's clean. Simons covered the most ground again. Whitehall logged less. Reece? Sharpest acceleration in the final third."
Niels watched Reece as he jogged past, sweat beading lightly on his brow. There was a calm in him now. It's not about swagger. It's about presence.
"He's growing," Niels said. "They all are."
Monday, November 9
The training tempo picked up.
Monday focused on close-quarters possession games with one-touch, high-pressure rondos. Milan yelled instructions like a metronome.
"Touch-pass-touch! Think faster!"
Luka controlled the rhythm like a conductor. Dev kept finding impossible passing lanes. Reece started rough but didn't fade. He stuck with it, chased his mistakes, demanded the next ball.
Tuesday brought tactics. Milan projected clips of Rochdale, their Matchday 16 opponent. They pressed early, overloaded midfield, and attacked with two pacey wingers and a towering striker.
"They'll go direct when it suits them," Milan said. "Let's control the second ball and pin them in."
On the field, Crawley practiced breaking the press. Dev would drop into space, Luka would act as a release valve. Reece played wide, stretching the back line. Simons thrived in transition, his touch had become more assured, his instincts sharper.
It ended with an inter-squad game. Reece capped it with a near-post finish after bursting past his marker.
No fist pum, no wild yell. Just a quiet nod to Niels as he jogged back.
Thursday, November 12
Press conference day. Rain drummed against the roof of the cramped media room.
Niels sat behind the table, arms resting loosely, eyes steady.
"Two wins and rising," one journalist asked. "Is Crawley ready to challenge for more than mid-table safety?"
"We're getting better," Niels replied. "It's a work in progress: learning, building, and slowly, belief is growing."
Wycombe, their FA Cup Round 2 opponent, came up.
"One week at a time," Niels said. "Right now, We are focused to win against Rochdale."
Friday, November 13
Final preparations. Set-piece drills in the morning. Transitions in the afternoon. Reece stayed back for extra finishing. Niels fed him passes.
"Hit it like you mean it," he said.
Reece adjusted the ball and struck it low and hard, rattling the net.
Saturday, November 14
Matchday 16: Crawley Town vs Rochdale
The home crowd at Broadfield was small but buzzing. A win today would keep Crawley climbing. Confidence was brewing beneath the surface.
Kickoff.
Rochdale pressed early just as expected. Their forwards snapped at Luka's heels, their midfield swarmed Dev at every turn.
Crawley absorbed it calmly.
In the 8th minute, Luka slipped away from the press and pinged a pass into Reece out wide. He drove past his marker and floated in a sharp cross. Simons met it, but his header glanced wide.
"Early warning shot," the commentator noted. "Crawley starting to find angles."
The breakthrough came in the 24th minute. Jamal stepped in to intercept a loose pass at halfway, immediately sparking a counter. He found Dev, who slid a clever reverse ball to Simons.
One touch, He shot across the keeper and GOAL.
1–0.
The fans roared. Simons punched the air. Dev grabbed him in celebration.
"They're really connecting out there," Milan said from the dugout.
"Let's make sure they stay humble and focused," Niels replied, but he couldn't hide a proud smile.
Rochdale reacted with urgency. Their #9, a big striker named Vaughan, caused trouble in the box. Twice they forced decent saves from Crawley's keeper. Just before the break, Luka had to clear off the line after a misjudged corner.
Half-time came with the lead intact. But the warning signs were there.
Second Half
Rochdale came out stronger. In the 62nd minute, they equalized, a cross from the left wing flicked off a defender and fell perfectly to Vaughan, who thumped it in at the near post.
1–1.
Niels made a quick adjustment. He brought on fresh legs in midfield and shifted Dev to a wider role. Crawley responded.
In the 70th minute, Reece took a long switch from Jamal, beat his man on the dribble, and fizzed a low shot that forced a diving save.
The match grew tense. Tackles flew in. Luka clattered into a Rochdale midfielder and picked up a yellow. Whitehall came on for Simons in the 78th, holding his thigh gingerly.
In the dying minutes, Crawley nearly stole it. A free-kick curled in by Dev met Whitehall's head off the bar. So close for goal.
Final whistle.
1–1.
Not a win, but not a step back either. Still 14th, but there's a sense of something starting to build.
Sunday, November 15
Back at the stadium, it's recovery, light training, and a tactical debrief — keeping things steady, keeping things focused.
In the film room, Milan highlighted the positives.
"We handled pressure well. Final third decision-making? Better but still room to grow."
Niels updated his internal notes:
[Reece – sharper, more confident
Simons – finding consistency
Luka – crucial again, but needs protection
Whitehall – clearly not 100% fit]
As the squad trickled out of the room, Niels lingered near the window overlooking the pitch.
Next up was Wycombe for FA Cup Round 2. A Bigger opponent and a bigger spotlight.
But Crawley were ready for it now, not because of results alone, but because of what they were becoming. Players finding their roles. A team finding its spine.
He looked out over the training ground, the lines freshly marked.
Between the lines, something was quietly building.
If you enjoyed the chapter, please consider dropping a Power Stone! Your support means a lot and really motivates me to keep writing. Thank you! 💖