Chapter 67: The Road to Wembley
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Crawley Town's 1–0 triumph over West Ham at Upton Park didn't just shock English football, it lit it on fire.
A League Two side silencing 30,000 Premier League fans in their own fortress. A samba goal.
Crawley were no longer just a good story. They were the story.
But fairytales don't pause for breath.
With ten league matches left until May 8, Crawley sat third in the table on 69 points just five behind second-placed Bournemouth.
Promotion to League One wasn't just a dream; it was a pulse pounding in every tackle, every sprint.
Yet ahead of them loomed something even greater: the FA Cup semifinal at Wembley. April 18 against Aston Villa.
Three league matches stood between now and that moment beneath the arch Grimsby, Bournemouth, Torquay.
Tests of endurance.
Tests of depth.
Tests of heart.
Beyond Villa, the giants sharpened their blades. Chelsea or Tottenham.
A final hung in the balance.
