Chapter 25: The Matches You Don't Remember, But Always Matter
Friday, 19 December
The cold had settled in again.
The wind wasn't doing much, but it was enough to get through the gaps in their clothes. At training, nobody was hanging around for long conversations. They were there to work.
Niels watched from the middle of the pitch as Reece stopped to sort out his shin pads.
Their next game was Accrington Stanley. Away.
It wasn't a big fixture. There was no excitement around it. But those were often the games that caused problems. If they lost focus, Accrington would make them pay for it.
"They'll try to make this difficult," Niels told them during the walk-through. "We need to settle into the game first."
There wasn't much more to say.
The players knew the plan. They had been working on it for weeks, and it was starting to feel natural.
Luka was getting more involved when they built from the back. Nate had become more vocal and was starting to take responsibility on the pitch. Max was playing simpler too. He wasn't forcing things anymore. He was trusting his teammates and waiting for the right moment.
The changes weren't huge.
Most people probably wouldn't notice them.
But Niels did.
The team was getting better.
Not in a dramatic way.
Just one small step at a time.
Saturday, Matchday 19, Accrington Stanley (A)
The bus arrived shortly after noon and stopped in a small parking area next to the stadium. The ground was low and basic.
The wind moved around the corners, carrying the smell of food from somewhere nearby. A few young fans stood by the railings with pens and notebooks, hoping to get something signed.
Luka stepped off the bus and pulled his hood over his head.
"This place always feels like trouble," he said.
Nate laughed. "Then stay switched on."
The away dressing room was small. Two benches faced each other with barely any room between them. There was no music playing.
Only the usual sounds filled the room. Tape being pulled from rolls. Boots hitting the floor. Gloves being tightened.
Niels stayed by the door and let the players get ready without interrupting them.
Once everyone was sitting down, he walked over.
"Don't chase the game," he said. "Make them chase us."
The players nodded.
That was all he needed to say.
There was no need for a big speech anymore.
They knew what they were here to do.
Kickoff
The opening ten minutes were messy.
There were tackles, loose balls and plenty of contact. Accrington started quickly, sending long balls into the corners and using their throw-ins to push Crawley back. It wasn't attractive football, but it was working for them.
Crawley stayed organised.
Max dropped back to help Dev and Ellis keep their shape. Reece was getting stuck into every challenge, while Luka moved around looking for space. Whenever the pressure came, he tried to get the ball away quickly.
Crawley had some possession, but that wasn't the important part.
They needed to stay calm.
In the 28th minute, Accrington came close. A cross was lifted over the defence and their striker got to it first. He had a free header, but sent it just wide.
Niels barely reacted.
He looked down, wrote something in his notebook, and waited for the game to move on.
Halftime: 0–0
The dressing room was quiet.
Nobody was shouting or complaining. The players stayed focused.
Reece took a drink and broke the silence.
"We're one pass away," he said. "That's all."
Niels picked up the marker and walked to the whiteboard. He drew three quick triangles.
"They're putting too many players on the right," he said. "There's space on the left."
He looked at Luka, then Max.
"If we're going to play through them, someone has to take the first chance."
Second Half
Crawley came out better after the break. They stopped worrying about the physical side of the game and started using it to their advantage.
The opening goal came in the 54th minute.
Luka dropped back and brought a defender with him. He moved the ball to Max, who quickly found Reece on the right.
Reece took one touch before sending a cross toward the edge of the box.
Nate was already there.
He had made the same run several times during training, and this time everything came together. He kept the shot low and placed it into the corner.
1–0.
There was no huge celebration. Nate looked toward Luka and Reece, and the three of them exchanged a quick smile.
Accrington responded by making the game even more physical. They started sending more long balls forward and putting pressure on every set piece. Some challenges were late, and a few went unpunished.
Dev took a late boot in the 70th minute. Five minutes later, Reece was pushed into the advertising boards. Luka was caught under a challenge and had someone step on his foot.
He simply got back up.
That was the biggest change in the team.
They weren't getting distracted anymore.
Final Whistle: Crawley 1–0 Accrington
When the whistle went, Niels gave one clap and headed toward the tunnel.
Behind him, the players congratulated each other quietly. A few smiles, some pats on the back and plenty of tired faces.
Nothing spectacular.
Just three points and a clean sheet.
It wasn't the sort of game that would make many headlines, but it was exactly the kind of result a team needs during a promotion push.
They had been tested.
They stayed together.
And they won.
Sunday
Sunday was mostly about recovery.
The physio room was quiet, with a few conversations going on in the background and the machines running. Nothing serious had come from the game. Just the usual knocks and bruises.
Max had bruises on both shins. Dev had a small cut below his knee. Reece was still walking around like he had something to prove.
Even so, everyone seemed happy.
Later that evening, Niels was back in his office. His coffee sat beside him while he opened a new file on his laptop.
He typed a few words:
The matches you remember aren't always the ones that shape a season. Sometimes it's the games you get through without losing yourself.
He read it once, then leaned back.
His phone buzzed.
It was another message from his sister.
"Mum found your old tracksuit. The one with the hole in the knee. Dad says it still smells like grass. They're also asking if you're coming home for Christmas. Or maybe New Year?"
Niels stared at the message.
The room was quiet apart from the radiator and the rain hitting the window.
He hadn't been home since everything had changed.
His family remembered the house, the clothes, the little routines. They remembered all those ordinary things that had once meant something.
He didn't.
That wasn't their fault. They couldn't remember something for him.
After a while, he replied.
"Tell Dad he should probably wash it."
He waited before typing another message.
"I'll see about New Year."
It wasn't a yes.
It wasn't a no either.
He put the phone face down on the desk and looked up at the ceiling.
Part of him wanted to go. Maybe going home would help him recover some of the things he had lost. Maybe being around his family would make some of those empty spaces feel less empty.
But another part of him still felt like he was walking into somebody else's life.
And he wasn't sure he was ready for that.