Chapter 226: Play Begins
December 13th, 2010
The players gathered near the center circle as the referee finished the final checks.
The stadium buzzed with noise. Brighton supporters waved scarves and flags while the away section, small but loud, tried to make themselves heard from the corner of the stand.
Max Simons stood over the ball with Thiago beside him.
Across the line, Brighton's midfielders shifted into position, eyes fixed on Crawley's shape.
Dev Patel stood a few meters behind the strikers, glancing left and right to confirm the midfield spacing. Pogba and Tom Whitehall were already spreading slightly, ready to receive the first pass.
Further back, Kieron Marsh pointed toward the right side.
"Reece, watch their winger early," he called.
Reece Darby gave a quick thumbs-up.
Behind them, Harry Thompson and Liam McCulloch held the defensive line near the halfway mark, calm but alert.
The referee raised his whistle.
For a brief moment, everything seemed to pause.
