CHAPTER 12

FROM HIS VERY first touch TJ knew that this game was going to be something special. Parkview lost the ball when Leroy made an interception, but Rafi won it back with a terrific tackle in midfield and slid it to Tommy who drilled an inch-perfect pass to Rob. Rob took the pace off the ball and slipped effortlessly away from his marker before hitting another fine pass to Ebony’s feet.

Rob’s pass was so perfectly weighted that Ebony was able to play the ball first time to TJ, who instantly moved forward at pace, wrong-footing the defender. TJ touched the ball forward with the outside of his right foot, as the defender backed away uncertainly. Was TJ about to go outside him? Was it a bluff? TJ saw the defender make his move. He’d decided TJ was going outside and he lunged into a tackle. TJ opened his body and played a firm pass inside the defender with the inside of his back foot. He jumped over the defender’s leg and sprinted away down the wing. Ebony had played the return pass perfectly, just as he’d known she would. And now she had turned and was racing into the penalty area, taking a defender with her.

Out of the corner of his eye, TJ saw Rob making a run. He was coming at top speed, heading for the empty space just outside the area that Ebony’s run had created. TJ knew the moment the ball left his foot that he couldn’t have hit it better. The pass had just enough pace on it to carry it perfectly into Rob’s path. He didn’t even have to break his stride, as he curled his shot expertly just inside the post.

Rob had been practising his celebration. He held his hand in front of his face and pretended to write on it. TJ laughed, as he ran up to congratulate him. Rob was pretending to make a note of his goal in his notebook. Over among the wildly celebrating Parkview supporters Mr Coggins was doing exactly the same thing for real.

‘Great pass, Ebony!’ said TJ. ‘Just like in training. And a brilliant run too.’

Ebony grinned, but when TJ glanced again at the supporters he saw a grim look on Tulsi’s face, and he wondered what she was thinking. Did she still want to be in the team? And if Ebony could play like that, how would Tulsi get her place back anyway?

Parkview played better than they had ever played before. Confidence surged through the team and the Wasps players hardly touched the ball. Rob and Rafi ran the match from midfield, intercepting every pass that Wasps played forward and then making probing passes of their own into the Wasps half. TJ scored with a header when Ebony chipped the ball back across the six-yard-box after Rob had put her through. Then TJ laid on a goal for Ebony when she created space for herself with a clever, twisting run. Ebony grabbed a second goal when the keeper dropped a cross from Rafi and she pounced quickly to bundle the ball into the net.

And with the final kick of the first half TJ scored his second. Rob hit the ball towards Ebony, as TJ was running behind her. She stepped over it, taking two defenders out of the game and wrong-footing the keeper, as the ball ran through to TJ. He had never scored an easier goal.

The whole team surrounded Ebony and TJ, as they walked off the pitch. They were all buzzing with excitement, and even Mr Wood didn’t try to hide how pleased he was. ‘You were terrific,’ he said. ‘And, Ebony, you fitted in as if you’ve been playing in the team all your life. Well done, everyone. Five great goals!’

TJ looked over at the far side and saw the TV cameraman filming the dinner ladies going through their routine. Over by the dressing rooms the reporter was talking to Marshall, surrounded by a small group of Marshall’s fans. He couldn’t see Tulsi and her gran anywhere. ‘Hey, TJ,’ said Mr Wood. ‘Did you hear what I said?’

‘Sorry, Mr Wood.’

‘This is a perfect chance to give our subs a proper run-out. So you’re coming off, TJ, and Ariyan will play up front with Ebony. Leila, you can take Rob’s place, and Danny, you’ll come on for Tommy. Everyone happy? Let’s see if we can score another five this half!’

‘Did you see where Tulsi went?’ TJ asked Rob. They were watching from the touchline, as the rearranged Parkview team ran out for the second half.

‘There,’ said Rob. ‘Over in the car park.’

Even from this far away TJ could see that Tulsi and her gran were arguing. ‘I bet she feels terrible,’ Rob said. ‘Ebony’s doing really well.’

There was a roar from the crowd. Rob and TJ turned back to the pitch in time to see Ebony celebrating yet another goal. ‘It’s her hat-trick,’ said TJ, clapping as hard as anyone.

Parkview were still on top, but in the second half the defence had some real work to do at last. With Rob no longer running the midfield Parkview couldn’t manage to keep hold of the ball quite so well, and Leroy began to create some dangerous attacks. But when he did, Danny and Rodrigo snuffed out all of them except one, when Jamie tipped the ball over the bar after Leroy’s fierce drive.

‘Danny’s good,’ Rob said grudgingly, as Parkview walked off the field at the final whistle having won 6–0. ‘You were right. In the tournament we’re going to need him. But you know what? I still think we need Tulsi too. We can’t let her stop playing football.’

‘But she might not even get in the squad,’ TJ said. ‘You saw how well we played. Mr Wood is bound to pick the same squad again, isn’t he?’

‘Ebony is small,’ Rob said. ‘And so are you and Ariyan. What if we’re up against a team with really big defenders? We’ll need a big strong striker like Tulsi.’

‘You’re right,’ said TJ thoughtfully. ‘And she isn’t always selfish with the ball. Remember those runs she made in the last game against Hillside? They were brilliant. If she’d just do more of that . . .’

‘I know,’ replied Rob. ‘But getting her to do it, that’s the problem.’