The second half began under a sky that was slowly bruising into shades of purple and orange. The mud on the pitch had become even more treacherous during the break, turning into a thick, clinging sludge that threatened to pull the boots right off the players' feet.
But as the referee blew his whistle to restart the match, it was clear that the Northcastle Rising Stars were no longer bothered by the conditions. They moved with a predatory intent that made the Foxmere players look like they were wading through deep water.
Luis Navarro touched the ball back to Noah Perring, who immediately pinged it wide to Marcelo. The Brazilian left-back didn't hesitate. He drove forward, his eyes scanning the pitch for the movement Maddox had demanded in the locker room.
[> "And we are back!" <] Michael Harrison's voice was full of energy. [> "Northcastle start the second half with a real zip in their passing. They aren't sitting on that one-goal lead, Peter." <]
