Chapter 197: Battle at London Road Stadium
Chapter 197: Battle at London Road Stadium
The tunnel at London Road stadium was narrow and quiet.
Crawley Town stood in their white away kit, focused and ready.
Peterborough United waited ahead in blue.
Their players looked relaxed but not casual. They knew this wasn’t a easy game.
Max stood at the front of the Crawley line. He kept his eyes forward.
Peterborough’s captain turned and said with a smirk, "Let’s see if you can handle real pressure."
Max didn’t look at him. "We’ll do more than that."
Dev leaned in behind him. "They’re already trying to get in our heads."
Max nodded. "Let’s show them who we are."
The fourth official gave the signal.
Both teams walked out onto the pitch.
The noise hit fast.
Peterborough fans filled the stands, waving scarves and chanting loudly.
"You’re in our house now!"
"This is League One, welcome to it!"
"Send ’em back to Sussex!"
The Crawley fans in the away end sang back, louder than their numbers.
"Come on Crawley, fight till the end!"
The teams lined up for the coin toss.
Peterborough won and chose to kick off.
Max turned to the team. "Be strong and sharp, and get going right away."
The players moved into position.
Jamal rolled his shoulders, ready to control the midfield. Tom bounced lightly on his toes. Dev stood just ahead of the midfield, eyes sharp.
Adam, the veteran keeper, checked his gloves.
Reece and Callum took their places at fullback, Liam and Harry stood firm in central defense, with Jamal as the pivot.
Up front, Max Simons, the captain, and Thiago lined up as strikers.
Peterborough’s striker jogged past Jamal and said, "You lot are getting too confident."
Jamal stayed calm. "Confidence isn’t the problem. We’ve earned it."
The referee blew the whistle.
Kick-off.
Peterborough attacked right away.
They passed the ball quickly and pressed hard.
Crawley was pushed back early.
In the second minute, their winger crossed the ball into the box.
Adam came out and punched it away.
There was no time for Crawley to relax.
Crawley kept the ball carefully.
Dev dropped back to get it and passed to Tom on the left.
Tom dribbled past one defender, then another. He cut inside and passed to Max near the edge of the box.
Max took a touch and shot aiming at the bottom corner..
But the shot was blocked.
Peterborough cleared the ball and launched a quick counterattack.
They played a long ball over the top to their striker, who ran forward fast.
Jamal slid in with a strong tackle and won the ball back.
The away fans cheered.
Max clapped his hands. "Good tackle!"
In the 9th minute, Crawley earned a corner kick.
Dev walked over to take it.
Max stood in the box next to Peterborough’s captain.
The defender sneered, "You lot don’t belong here. Promotion? Dream on."
Max didn’t even look at him. "We’re here to win today. You’ll see."
Dev kicked the ball high and curved it toward the goal.
Max jumped but just missed it.
The ball fell to Jamal.
He took a quick shot hoping for goal.
The ball hit a defender and went just wide.
Another corner for Crawley.
They were getting stronger in the game.
This wasn’t luck.
They were here to fight.
The crowd grew louder as Dev prepared for the next corner.
This time, he aimed a low cross into the box.
Thiago darted forward, trying to get on the end of it, but Peterborough’s defense stayed tight.
The ball bounced around, and Liam quickly cleared it out of danger.
Peterborough pressed again, moving the ball fast in midfield.
Tom stepped up, intercepting a pass and quickly passing to Jamal.
Jamal looked up and found Dev making a run down the right wing.
Dev took the ball at pace and sent a sharp pass into the box.
Max reached it first and tried a header
But the keeper made a strong clearance.
The ball spilled to Thiago, who tried to turn, but was stopped by a last-ditch tackle.
The referee called for a foul on Thiago, and Crawley earned a free kick just outside the box.
Dev stepped up, placing the ball carefully.
He took a deep breath, then swung his leg.
The ball curved sharply toward the top corner.
The keeper stretched, just managing to tip it over the bar.
The crowd gasped.
Both teams were battling fiercely now.
The tension was rising.
Every second felt like a fight.
The game was heating up.
Crawley was proving they belonged here.
And they weren’t backing down.
The whistle blew again, and the game grew more physical.
Peterborough started playing harder, closing down Crawley fast.
A rough challenge from their midfielder caught Tom off guard, sending him stumbling.
The referee hesitated but only gave a warning.
Minutes later, Liam was clipped hard from behind as he tried to clear the ball.
He stayed down for a moment, shaking his head.
Max jogged over. "Keep your head in the game."
Peterborough’s captain stepped up close to Max, pushing him lightly.
"Get used to it," the defender said coldly.
Crawley didn’t back down.
Jamal stood firm, blocking a strong tackle from the opposing striker.
The referee’s whistle blew again, but no foul was called.
The crowd booed the decision.
Peterborough’s players were testing limits late tackles, harsh words, and quick fouls to break Crawley’s rhythm.
Dev caught the ball and tried to move forward but was clipped from behind again.
This time the referee finally called a foul.
Dev shook it off and nodded to Max.
"We’ve got this. Stay sharp."
The game was no longer just about skill, it was a battle of wills.
Crawley needed to stay focused and fight through the pressure.
The free kick gave Crawley a brief moment to regroup.
It was the 27th minute when Dev stepped forward, carefully positioning the ball just outside the box.
He took a deep breath, eyes locked on the wall of defenders standing firm before him.
With a smooth swing of his leg, Dev struck the ball low and hard. It curled sharply, aiming just past the wall.
The Peterborough keeper reacted quickly, diving full stretch.
His fingertips grazed the ball, but it still bounced off the post and back into play.
The away fans erupted in cheers, sensing the momentum shifting.
Peterborough didn’t waste a second.
Their striker charged forward, pushing hard into Crawley’s penalty area.
He held off two defenders and moved closer to goal.
Callum slid in with a desperate tackle.
He got the ball cleanly.
But the striker suddenly fell intentionally, grabbing his ankle and rolling on the ground.
The referee blew the whistle sharply.
Penalty.
Crawley’s players immediately protested.
"It was a clean tackle, reff!" Jamal shouted.
"He’s diving!" Tom added angrily.
Max stepped forward, trying to calm the team but looked tense.
On the sideline, Niels was furious.
He clenched his fists and paced back and forth.
"No VAR," he muttered. "No way to check it. This isn’t fair."
He took a deep breath, fists clenched tight. His voice was sharp and filled with fire.
"Focus up! Let that anger fuel you. Play with everything you’ve got. Show them who we really are!"
The players looked at him, their frustration burning in their eyes.
Slowly, that frustration turned into fierce determination.
The home crowd exploded with noise.
Max clenched his fists, his jaw tight with determination.
In the 30th minute, Peterborough’s striker placed the ball carefully on the penalty spot.
Adam Fletcher positioned himself in goal, steady and focused.
The referee blew the whistle.
The striker charged forward, striking the ball low and hard to the keeper’s right.
Adam dived, fully stretched but the ball slipped past his fingertips and hit the back of the net.
The home crowd erupted in cheers.
Max’s jaw clenched, frustration flashing in his eyes.
But he raised his voice loud and clear, "Don’t give up! We’re not done yet!"
Crawley’s players gathered quickly, pushing through the disappointment.
Peterborough’s aggressive tactics had earned them a lead, but Crawley wasn’t done yet especially after that undeserved goal.
The players nodded, their anger fueling every movement.
Again, Crawley kicked off after the goal, full of energy and determination.
They pushed forward quickly, attacking hard.
Peterborough tried to keep control but Crawley’s pressure was strong.
In the 34th minute, Jamal intercepted a bad pass in midfield and passed it fast to Pogba.
Pogba ran forward, beating defenders with quick moves.
He passed to Max near the box.
Max held the ball, fighting off two defenders.
He passed to Thiago on the right.
Thiago cut inside and took a powerful shot, but it went just over the bar.
Peterborough started playing rougher.
They made hard tackles and fouled Crawley players to stop the attack.
The referee blew his whistle but only gave warnings, not cards.
The fouls made the game even more physical and intense.
Crawley kept attacking, pushing harder.
Peterborough’s rough play was meant to break their spirit.
But Crawley stayed focused and didn’t back down.
The battle was heating up.
In the 38th minute, Crawley kept attacking hard.
Tom got the ball on the left and ran past a defender.
He crossed the ball into the box.
Max jumped but missed the ball.
Peterborough cleared it, but Jamal got the ball outside the box.
He took a quick shot, but a defender blocked it.
The game was fast and rough now.
Peterborough started fouling more to stop Crawley’s attacks.
Dev was pushed hard near the sideline but stayed on his feet.
The referee blew his whistle and gave a warning to the Peterborough player but no card.
Crawley’s players were frustrated.
Max and Jamal stepped forward, arguing loudly, asking for a card.
The referee shook his head and waved them off, giving only a warning.
More players joined the argument, voices rising.
Niels looked tense on the sideline but didn’t protest.
The referee stayed firm, letting the game continue without any cards.
Crawley’s players took a deep breath and tried to focus again despite their frustration.
In the 40th minute, Crawley pushed forward again.
Jamal controlled the ball in midfield and quickly passed to Pogba.
Pogba ran hard, breaking through Peterborough’s midfield line.
He spotted Dev making a run and sent a sharp pass.
Dev took the ball and charged toward the goal.
A Peterborough defender slid in with a late tackle, but Dev stayed on his feet.
The referee blew the whistle and called a foul but again, no card.
Frustration built on both sides.
Crawley’s players gritted their teeth, determined to keep fighting.
In the 43rd minute, Crawley won a corner.
Dev stood ready to take it.
He sent a high ball into the box.
Max jumped above the defenders and headed it toward goal.
The keeper leapt and caught the ball safely.
The game was nearing halftime.
At the 45th minute, the referee blew the whistle and signaled for two minutes of stoppage time.
The players kept pushing hard, knowing the first half wasn’t over yet.
In the first minute of stoppage time, Crawley pressed hard.
Jamal passed the ball to Dev near the edge of the box.
Dev took a quick shot saved by the keeper, but the ball bounced back into play.
Max rushed forward and tried to control it.
Peterborough’s defender, close behind, swung an elbow hard into Max’s side.
Max fell to the ground, clutching his ribs in pain.
The crowd gasped.
But the referee didn’t stop the game.
Max lay on the ground, clearly in pain.
His teammates rushed over, shouting and pleading with the referee.
"Foul! Come on, that was an elbow!" Jamal yelled.
Dev shook his head in disbelief, gesturing wildly.
Even some Peterborough players looked surprised.
The crowd booed loudly, voices rising in protest.
The referee held up his hand, signaling to play on.
He waved off the appeals, refusing to call a foul.
Frustration and anger spread through Crawley’s players.
Max slowly got to his feet, grimacing but determined to keep going.
The referee blew the whistle seconds later, signaling the end of the first half.
Players from both teams started walking off the pitch, some rubbing sore spots, others catching their breath.
Max glanced back at the referee with a frustrated look but said nothing.
Niels met his captain at the tunnel, placing a firm hand on his shoulder.
"Stay strong. We’ve got this," he said quietly.
The team headed to the locker room, tired but fired up.