On the pitch, the Apex players were buzzing with a newfound, glorious confidence.
"He's following you like a lost puppy, Emre!" Jonathan Rowe cackled, as Marcus Thorne dutifully trailed the young Turkish midfielder into an inoffensive position on the wing.
"Keep dragging him out there!" Grant Hanley's voice was a triumphant roar from the back. "He's useless to them as a left-back!"
The half-time whistle blew on a 2-1 scoreline that felt like a tactical checkmate.
The Apex dressing room was a hive of joyous, controlled energy.
"Gaffer, that was... that was genius," Kenny McLean said, shaking his head in a state of profound, professional admiration. "Using their best player against them. I've never seen anything like it."
