25: Notts County

The Nottingham sky was covered with heavy clouds, and the evening sun could only cast a few faint rays through the gaps.

The Meadow Lane pitch exuded a mixed scent of soil and grass in the humid air.

Lin Feng sat in the last row of the away team's bus. His fingers gently tapped his knee, and the [Tactical Analysis Module] was running in his mind.

"Notts County's average goals conceded in their last three matches is 1.33."

His voice was very soft, only Old John, who was sitting next to him, could hear it.

"Their left-back habitually pushes forward, leaving enough space behind him for Vardy to run back and forth three times."

Old John nodded, his tactical notebook already filled with dense handwriting. Each entry was a weakness of the opponent that Lin Feng had analyzed over the past few days.

The bus slowly drove into the stadium parking area. Through the window, dozens of Notts County fans holding banners were waiting there.

"Go back to your North!"

"The EFL Trophy is not a playground for you little kids!"

Vardy stood up from his seat, his face devoid of any expression. He was already used to the hostility of away fans; this environment instead ignited the fighting spirit in his bones.

Robert Snodgrass patted Vardy's shoulder.

"Jamie, shut them up with a goal later."

The Scotsman's voice carried a hint of playfulness, and his eyes sparkled with excitement.

The atmosphere in the changing room was a bit special. On today's starting lineup, Konstantopoulos reappeared in the goalkeeper position. The Greek goalkeeper had been on the bench for the past few weeks, watching Schmeichel steal the spotlight.

His eyes were complex. There was both excitement at returning to the starting lineup and reluctance at losing his position.

Old John stood in front of the tactics board, holding a marker pen.

"Today we are making some rotations. Konstantopoulos starts as goalkeeper, Chris and Mickey will also get playing time."

His voice was a bit nervous. This was his first time arranging such a large-scale rotation without Lin Feng's direct guidance.

Gylfi Sigurðsson sat quietly in the corner, gently stroking his socks. Today he would play as an attacking midfielder, which was a brand new challenge.

At sixteen years old, he had to take on the heavy responsibility of organizing the attack in an away game.

"Gylfi."

Vardy walked over to him and squatted down.

"Don't be nervous, just treat it as normal training. I'll be waiting for your pass in the box."

Sigurdsson looked up, his eyes clear and firm.

"I'm not nervous."

His voice was light, but his tone revealed a confidence beyond his years.

"I'm just thinking about how to break through their defense."

In the player's tunnel, the two teams' players stood side by side. Notts County's players were noticeably older than Hartlepool United's players, their faces full of experience and savvy.

They sized up these youngsters with their peripheral vision, a hint of disdain in their eyes.

The EFL Trophy was just a routine matter for them, and these League Two youngsters shouldn't pose a threat to them.

The referee's whistle blew.

The match began.

Notts County showed their strength from the start. Their midfield passing was precise, their wing play skillful, and every pass carried the composure of a veteran League Two team.

In the first ten minutes, their possession rate reached sixty-five percent.

Konstantopoulos paced back and forth in front of the goal. The long-awaited starting opportunity made him exceptionally focused, and every opponent's pass made his nerves tense.

In the 8th minute, Notts County got a free kick opportunity in the attacking third.

The ball arced through the air, heading straight for the top right corner of the goal.

Konstantopoulos flew to save it, and the moment his fingertips touched the ball, he tipped it over the crossbar.

"Beautiful!"

The sparse Hartlepool United fans in the stands erupted in applause.

The Greek goalkeeper got up from the grass and clapped his gloves. A long-lost fighting spirit burned in his eyes.

But the real turning point came in the 15th minute.

Sigurdsson received the ball in midfield, facing the double-teaming of two defenders. The Icelandic teenager showed no panic, and after two consecutive feints, he suddenly played a through ball.

The ball accurately passed through the gap between three defenders and landed at Vardy's feet.

Vardy chested the ball down, turned, and faced the onrushing goalkeeper. But he did not choose to shoot, instead, he subtly passed it horizontally to the advancing Joel Porter.

Porter faced an open goal and easily slotted it into the net.

1-0!

Hartlepool United took the lead!

The fans in the away stand celebrated wildly. The build-up to this goal was beautiful, from Sigurdsson's through ball to Vardy's unselfish assist, every step was textbook.

"This is the power of youth!"

The commentator in the commentary box couldn't help but exclaim.

"Sigurdsson's pass was simply a work of genius!"

Notts County's players looked at each other. They didn't expect these youngsters to play so calmly and composedly away from home.

What surprised them even more was that Hartlepool United's passing success rate was even higher than theirs.

In the 25th minute, Snodgrass received a pass from Simpson on the right wing. Facing the opposing left-back's defense, the Scottish winger showcased his individual ability.

After two consecutive changes of pace, Snodgrass successfully got past the defender and broke into the penalty area.

He did not choose to shoot, but instead delivered a precise cross.

The ball arced perfectly through the air, landing accurately in the center of the penalty area.

Adam Boyd leaped high, out-jumping two center-backs to head the ball into the net.

2-0!

Meadow Lane instantly fell silent. The home fans couldn't believe what was happening before their eyes.

These youngsters, with an average age of less than twenty-two, had completely dominated their team away from home.

Lin Feng nodded slightly in the stands. Everything was unfolding as he expected.

The [Tactical Analysis Module] showed that Notts County's defense already had obvious gaps. The young players' attacking impetus and passing accuracy far exceeded the opponent's expectations.

Old John clenched his fists on the sidelines. This was his first time independently managing such an important match, and the result was surprisingly smooth.

"Maybe I really underestimated myself."

He thought to himself.

In the second half, Notts County intensified their offense. They committed more players forward, trying to turn the tide.

But Hartlepool United's defense, under Konstantopoulos's command, was rock solid.

The Greek goalkeeper's performance today was perfect. Every save was just right, every rush out was perfectly timed.

He wanted to prove that he was still capable of being the starting goalkeeper.

In the 70th minute, Notts County got their best chance. The forward was one-on-one with Konstantopoulos in the penalty area.

This was a critical moment that would determine the direction of the match.

Konstantopoulos didn't hesitate, rushing out decisively. He spread his arms wide, completely blocking the shooting angle.

The opposing striker's shot was blocked by his body.

A thunderous applause erupted throughout the stadium.

The final whistle blew.

Hartlepool United defeated Notts County 2-0 away from home, successfully advancing to the next round of the EFL Trophy.

The players hugged each other tightly. The significance of this victory was not just about advancing, but more importantly, it proved that the rotated lineup also possessed strong combat power.

Konstantopoulos was lifted high by his teammates. The long-awaited victory brought tears to the Greek goalkeeper's eyes.

Sigurdsson stood quietly to the side, a faint smile on his face. Today's performance gave him a clearer understanding of himself.

He was not just a striker who could score goals, but also a core player who could organize the attack.

In the changing room, Old John's hands trembled slightly. He couldn't believe that this victory was achieved under his command.

"Maybe Lin Feng was right."

He thought to himself.

"What I need is not more advanced tactics, but trust in the players."

As the bus drove away from Nottingham, a light rain began to fall. The streetlights outside the window appeared hazy and warm in the rain.

Lin Feng sat in the last row, his phone displaying a newly received message.

The League Cup third-round draw results were out.

Hartlepool United would host Premier League team Everton.

The corners of his mouth curved into an almost imperceptible smile.

"[System Message: New Challenge Unlocked — Premier League Level Opponent]"

"[Mission Difficulty: Extremely High]"

"[Suggestion: Go all out, this will be the best opportunity to prove the team's strength]"