Trent Hastings didn't need to touch the ball with his feet.
The instant he saw that Patton overlapped his run, he made up his mind, and allowed it to go through him as a decoy like it's the most natural thing for him to do.
The goalkeeper was already out of position, with James Patton barrelling down his empty net. He couldn't help but admit that it was a genius move for the most part.
He held one last hail mary in his heart too: that James Patton will somehow screw up the tap in.
And that's a prayer James Patton will straight up not give a fuck about.
He didn't even flinch when the ball reached him with a lot of pace. The defender that was inches beside him also missed his chance of stopping him, as he dispatched the ball with a casual flick of his boot.
2-1! Sheffield United goes ahead!
James flashed two of his fingers, to the delight of his teammates. Never would he have thought that coming into this game, he would score a brace. If he's being fully honest, he also didn't think his entire team would score a single one with their manager fiddling with their roles this way.
But here he is! He scored a screamer, and a beautiful dummy play tap in!
"Do you wanna ask the boss to let you stay as a center attacking mid?" Trent Hastings teased.
"George will be jealous with that brace for sure!" Potts tapped both Williams and Patton.
"No way! I'm a real striker!" George blushed. "A real one never gets jealous! Hmph!"
"Don't drop the ball now, defense. Let's win this game!"
That James Patton goal sent Shrewsbury to the brink, if they weren't in it already. It shattered most of what remained of their confidence.
A defender playing as an attacker for the first time in his career scored twice against us? What a disgrace!
As the game restarted with less than eight minutes of regulation remaining, the Shrewsbury players passed the ball without much purpose, as if their souls were already crushed to a pulp. It looked like they were still playing fine in the eyes of their supporters in the stands, but to Blaise Atkinson and most of the Sheffield players on the pitch?
They know it's a crisis of confidence when they see one.
Shrewsbury's passing was accurate, yet with minimal forward progress, to the annoyance of their fans. For them, the sense of urgency to score should be there! It's not like we're losing badly!
It's already crunch time, and we're down a single goal! Why are these guys dilly-dallying passing like it's just the start of the game?
Sure, they've maintained possession for a lion's share of the last three minutes, but how much of that amount of time was spent in their own half?
Boos started coming out of the Shrewsbury support. These fans aren't here to coddle the players, they are here to support their club. And if these players who represent their club's badge continue this clown show?
They would give them a piece of their mind.
They would tell them to eat shit.
No team wants their own fans pissed.
As if the fans' voices awakened something within the forlorn Shrewsbury players, they began knocking the ball around with a little more sense of urgency.
It was like all of them received an ultimatum to perform or get fired.
The booing injected some much needed energy into the players, revitalizing their already stale endgame. Forward passing returned, while their structured formation moved slowly but surely in the right direction within the flow of their passing game.
Sheffield tried their absolute best to keep up through their dynamic and more fluid formation, but the speed of the passing was enough to make the tired legs drag even more.
It was almost a tiki-taka. Minus the patience of course, as Shrewsbury lacked the time to hold onto it without getting a goal.
So, they advanced.
The pressure is on George Williams' side. A quick one-two unlocked the Shrewsbury winger near the touchline. He quickly gave the ball up in the middle, where Blaise Atkinson had his hands full with the physical forward.
Atkinson himself was surprised that such fan outbursts revealed Shrewsbury's final card this late in the game. Although, he welcomed the challenge of a final spurt of inspiration from their opponents.
However, Sheffield's backline was now caught in a precarious position.
The pressure made them keep on moving deeper and deeper into their own half, as the final minute of regulation neared. The passing zeal was still there, although it's only a matter of time until the players of Shrewsbury missed one.
Hold out until then!
Williams was nutmegged at the corner flag by the left winger, who then crossed the ball to the several bodies inside looking for a shot on goal.
The forward progress made by Shrewsbury allowed most of their eleven to establish themselves in the opponent's final third.
"Fuck!" Atkinson missed the jump of his marker at the far post!
The ensuing header was free!
The home fans' held on to their breaths, and their screams while the ball traveled the short distance.
It hit the crossbar! Unlucky!
The crossbar saved Blaise's blushes. Him, along with most of their supporters, heaved a sigh of relief.
But the danger's not over yet! The ball rebounded outside the box to a Shrewsbury midfielder, who's not ready to give up on the attack just yet. He recycled it quickly to the far right, with plans of attacking from another angle, looking for a crack in the unstable defense.
The right winger sent a low, whipped cross into the lively box without much opposition.
For the second time, in a few seconds, everyone tensed up.
It missed Blaise's foot once again in the near post, as it continued its movement to the middle. The goalkeeper got a slight hand to it, but it wasn't enough to send it away.
Instead, a rifle from just inside the box was unleashed right before the ball got out of danger.
Ding!
Another save coming from the bar!
The goalkeeper jumped to try and get to the top left, but he missed the ball, as it coolly dropped back to the middle of the box.
Rebound!
The shot was weak, so George Williams stuck his foot out at the goal line, providing a last ditch block.
The ball became a hot potato, as George's block only sent it out so far.
It flew several yards out of the box, ending up in another Shrewsbury midfielder's foot.
The slight reprieve in the non-stop action made the hearts of the Sheffield faithful beat again. A heart shouldn't be able to handle this!
Sadly for them, the reprieve didn't last long. As when they're just about to quench their thirst, another shot came in.
Shrewsbury's left center mid teed up his right center mid partner to continue the pressure on the battered Blades goal. His shot was filled with determination, and power, as it rose and rose to almost the top right corner.
Unlike the last few times though, it won't be denied by the post.
But the keeper has a chance!
His fingers reached it, but he couldn't hang onto it! It was once again spilled!
Blair Atkinson watched, almost in slow motion, as the ball went into the direction of his son, anchoring the center of the defense, and the physical forward that hounded him all day at the right side of the post.
The middle aged professor's eyes widened, as his heart leapt to his throat.