Chapter 53: Resolve against the Giants
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Crawley Town's 2-1 loss to Notts County still hung heavy, marking Niels' first defeat as manager, a tough blow for the team.
Thiago gave hope with a goal in the 60th minute, but it wasn't enough. Notts County's solid defense and excellent goalkeeping shut Crawley down, keeping them stuck in sixth place in the league.
With the FA Cup Fifth Round clash against Premier League side Burnley approaching on February 20, frustration hung over the squad.
Their energy was low, but not gone.
At the Broadfield training ground, under a dull February sky, the team regrouped—feeling the absence of Nate Sutton, sidelined with a knee injury until at least February 21.
On the sidelines, Niels stood quietly, a crumpled fan letter in his pocket. "You're our soul, guys," it read a small spark of hope in a heavy moment.
