11: Defeat the mortal enemy

The atmosphere in the changing room at halftime was explosive.

Hartlepool United's players were shouting excitedly, wiping sweat with their towels, their faces alight with uncontainable joy.

They surrounded Vardy, patting his shoulders and back, each praising him for his selfless assist and tireless running in the first half.

Vardy's eyes held a hint of untamed wildness. They were even more convinced by the new tactics Old John had implemented.

This exhilarating pressing and lightning-fast counter-attacking made them feel like they weren't playing League Two football at all, but something higher, more exciting.

Each of them felt a surge of power within their bodies, as if the moment the whistle blew for the second half, they could rush out and tear their opponents to shreds.

However, Old John Mcdonald, the head coach, was not thinking about the changing room at all. He briefly praised the players and then hurried out of the room. He didn't go to the tactics room, but almost jogged through the player's tunnel to the VIP box outside the main stand. His heart was pounding, not from nervousness, but from an indescribable shock. He had coached football for decades, seen countless tactical masters, but had never seen anyone like Lin Feng, who, based solely on observations from the first half, could analyze the opponent's weaknesses and his own team's strengths so thoroughly, even predicting the flow of the game. This feeling was like witnessing a miracle firsthand.

He knocked respectfully on the door.

The door opened, and Lin Feng was sitting calmly on the sofa, as if the two goals in the first half and the thunderous cheers had nothing to do with him. His deep eyes seemed to see through everything.

"Boss," Old John's tone was full of reverence, even a hint of pilgrimage-like devotion, "You saw the situation in the first half, it's going exactly according to your plan! We're two goals up, and the players are in great form!"

After reporting the situation, he looked eagerly at Lin Feng, like a primary school student waiting for a teacher to grade homework, anxious to receive the next instructions. At this moment, his trust in Lin Feng's tactical ability was no longer simple, but a deep-seated worship. In his eyes, this young boss was a god in the world of football!

Lin Feng smiled slightly and pointed to the opposite seat, signaling Old John to sit down. "John, don't be nervous, you played well." His expression was composed, as if everything was under his control.

His gaze seemed to penetrate the field, reaching every detail: "Darlington's left-back, Number 3 Tim Rain, expended a lot of energy in the first half trying to help defend Vardy. I noticed his recovery speed in the last ten minutes had clearly dropped, and he has an old habit of not getting back in time after going forward to attack."

Lin Feng picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and his voice, though not loud, was clear and distinct: "In the second half, let's continue to shift our attacking focus to his side. Tell Vardy not to always think about going to the byline for a cross, but to use his speed more, cut inside directly from the left, and try to shoot himself."

He looked at the enlightened Old John and said in a conclusive tone: "In the endgame of chess, you must precisely strike the opponent's weakest piece, a fatal blow." That confidence, as if he had already seen the end of the game.

"The weakest piece... a fatal blow..." Old John murmured, repeating the phrase, feeling a sudden clarity. He felt that the boss could practically predict the future; every dynamic on the field, every breath a player took, seemed to be within his calculations! This was no longer tactics, this was a divine oracle!

"I understand, Boss! I understand!" Old John stood up excitedly, nodding repeatedly, as if he had received supreme wisdom, then turned and hurried back to the changing room to convey this "divine oracle" from the East.

As the second half began, Darlington was clearly unwilling to surrender to their arch-rivals and tried to launch a counter-attack.

However, Hartlepool United's players, having received the "divine oracle," executed their plan with even greater resolve.

They strictly followed Lin Feng's deployment, attacking like a tide. Every counter-attack went straight to Darlington's left flank.

Tim Rain's defensive area became increasingly empty, his steps grew heavier, and his face showed evident fatigue and frustration.

Hartlepool United's attackers repeatedly assaulted this weak point in the defense. Although Darlington's goalkeeper Stockdale made several brilliant saves, the pressure came in like a relentless tide, and Darlington's defense began to crumble.

In the 65th minute, the opportunity finally arrived!

Left-back Matty Robson intercepted the ball in midfield and delivered a precise through-ball to Jamie Vardy, who was lurking on the left wing!

Vardy received the ball and surged forward! He felt adrenaline coursing through his body, every cell screaming to push forward!

His astonishing explosiveness was once again fully displayed; Tim Rain, who was defending him, only felt a gust of wind pass by and was left behind!

Vardy dribbled at high speed and cut inside. In his mind, only Lin Feng's instruction remained: "use his speed more, cut inside directly from the left, and try to shoot himself." Facing Darlington's center-back who came over to assist, he cleverly changed direction with a light flick to open up the angle!

At the edge of the box, he swung his right foot, putting all his strength into a powerful shot! It wasn't a skillful shot, but a pure release of power, carrying all his ambition to prove himself!

The ball, like a cannonball, whistled through the air and screamed towards the near post! Goalkeeper Stockdale made a save attempt, but it was too late to react!

Goal! 3-0!

"Goooooooal!!! Jamie Vardy!! An incredible goal!!" Commentator Martin Tyler's voice was almost hoarse, "The kid from the eighth-tier League has scored such a brilliant goal in his professional League debut! Hartlepool United fans, you have a true gem!"

Victoria Park was plunged into complete madness! All the fans stood up, chanting Vardy's name, the cheers deafening, shaking everyone's hearts!

In the 78th minute, Darlington's defense had completely collapsed. Substitute Kevin Kyle received a cross from his teammate Adam Boyd and easily headed the ball into the net, sealing the score at 4-0!

The moment the final whistle blew, the entire city of Hartlepool erupted!

A 4-0 thrashing of arch-rival Darlington! This was a historic victory!

Fans celebrated wildly in the stands, waving their scarves and singing the team song, unwilling to leave for a long time.

Vardy stood in the center of the field, accepting the cheers of the fans. He showed little emotion on his face, only a determined glint in his eyes, as if to say: This is just the beginning. After the match, Jamie Vardy, who scored one goal and assisted another, was unsurprisingly named Man of the Match.

In the press box, Sophie Green excitedly scribbled a headline in her notebook: "The A19 Derby Miracle: Mysterious Owner and Genius New Star Light Up Hartlepool!"

Lin Feng slowly walked out of the box, a satisfied smile on his face.

He did not dwell on the joy of victory; his gaze was already set further afield. This victory not only revealed the tip of the iceberg of Vardy's S-tier potential but also laid a solid foundation for his grand blueprint of building the "Phoenix Training Center" in the future. This was the first step, but certainly not the end.

The next match was in the League Cup, against Rochdale.

Meanwhile, a name quietly surfaced in his mind—Kasper Schmeichel. To build a dynasty, one Vardy was far from enough.