The seventy-eighth minute was a display of technical cruelty. The Northcastle Rising Stars, now composed entirely of fresh substitutes, were not content with a five-goal lead. Eric Maddox stood with his arms crossed, his silhouette sharp against the fading evening light. He wasn't looking at the scoreboard. He was watching the spacing between his two central midfielders, Toby Kuipers and Reece Alden.
[> "We are into the final twelve minutes plus stoppage time," <] Michael Harrison said, his voice slightly hoarse from the excitement of the previous goals. [> "Northcastle are still moving the ball with the same intensity they had in the first minute. It's relentless." <]
[> "It's a psychological test now, Michael," <] Peter Walsh added. [> "Maddox wants to see if his second unit can maintain the standard. He doesn't believe in taking the foot off the gas." <]
