CHAPTER 19

‘COME ON, PARKVIEW,’ called Rob, as they kicked off again. ‘We have to be quicker! We’re going to have to fight for this!’

But although Parkview did their best they never managed to put any pressure on a ruthless Kingsmead side. Even when TJ managed to get a shot on target, late in the second half, the goalkeeper made a fine save, diving to his right. When the final whistle blew the Parkview players trooped off the pitch with their heads down. They had lost their first match 1–0.

‘We’re stepping up a level here,’ Mr Wood told them. ‘So now you know what you’re up against.’

‘We’ve got no chance,’ said Jamie.

Mr Wood looked at him sharply. ‘Come on, Jamie,’ he said. ‘That’s not like you.’

‘Well, they did everything better than we did,’ Jamie said glumly.

‘That’s not true,’ replied Mr Wood. ‘In fact, I thought it was a very good performance after you went a goal down. You fought for every ball and they simply couldn’t get past you. Danny, that was outstanding. Now, we’ve got half an hour before our next match and I want you all to remember how we’ve practised keeping the ball. A good first touch and then make sure you don’t give it away. There’s some space over there where you can go and kick some balls around to keep warm. Try to relax. Oh, and Tulsi, you’ll be starting this time.’

‘I’m not sure I want to,’ said Tulsi to TJ, as they jogged over to the far side of the playing field. ‘It looked really scary.’

‘I’m sorry,’ said Ebony. ‘I gave the ball away and they scored.’

‘Rubbish,’ said Jamie. ‘We were all slow. I should have saved that goal. He won’t beat me so easily next time. No one will.’

Fifteen minutes later the team lined up for their second match against Highfield. ‘You realize if we lose this then we’re out,’ said TJ to Tulsi, as they prepared to kick off.

‘Let’s not lose then,’ said Tulsi grimly.

The whistle blew and she tapped the ball to TJ. He played it back to Rob and sprinted for the corner flag. It was a move they’d used lots of times, but this time the defender was ready, crowding TJ as he controlled the ball. He turned away from the defender, resisting his attempts to tackle.

‘Yes, TJ!’ called Tulsi, and he saw her running towards him. He laid the ball into her path and raced past the defender, heading for the goal line. Tulsi played the return pass skilfully. He caught the ball just as it was about to run out of play and hooked it across the six-yard-box with his right foot. He saw Rob tearing into the area as fast as he could run, and for a second he was sure that Rob would score, but as Rob struck his shot a burly defender threw himself in front of the ball and it ricocheted out of play for a throw-in.

‘That’s much better, Parkview,’ called Mr Wood, and for the first time TJ heard the sound of the dinner ladies chanting from the touchline. He ran across and took the throw quickly to Rob. Rob gave it back to him, and TJ saw his chance. He moved infield, teasing the defender who came to mark him, pretending he wanted to go outside, and then slipping past him on the inside. Rob raced past TJ, bursting into the penalty area again. A defender hesitated, then followed Rob, and space opened up in front of TJ. He took one more touch and then blasted a curling left-foot shot into the top corner of the goal.

TJ punched the air as the Parkview supporters celebrated. Then he heard Mr Wood’s voice. ‘Enough, TJ. Concentrate.’

He took a deep breath and jogged back. Seconds later he saw why Mr Wood had been so keen for the Parkview players to stay focused. Highfield attacked in force.

Every Parkview player had to get back and defend – even Tulsi. But Danny and Tommy seemed to be everywhere, and when they didn’t manage to block a shot then Jamie saved it. At the end of the match TJ’s goal was the difference between the two teams.

But they had all paid a price. ‘I feel as if I’ve run miles,’ gasped TJ.

‘You have,’ Rob told him. ‘I expect you’ve run about—’

‘Don’t tell me,’ said TJ. ‘It’ll only make me feel worse.’

‘It’s OK, TJ,’ said Mr Wood. ‘I’m going to give you a rest in the first half of the next game. We’ll see how Tulsi and Ebony do together. And Danny, you need a break as well. Tommy and Rodrigo can defend.’

‘We’ve got to score some goals if we’re going to go through,’ said Rob. ‘Redhill just beat Kingsmead two–nil over there. And they already beat Highfield three–nil. We have to beat them by three goals, and then hope Kingsmead don’t beat Highfield by more than that.’

They all looked at each other. The idea of scoring three goals against a team that had just beaten Kingsmead seemed ridiculous. It was all as good as over. ‘We should just enjoy ourselves,’ said Jamie with a grin. ‘What have we got to lose?’

‘That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,’ said Mr Wood. ‘The ref is waiting.’

TJ felt strange, watching the game from the touchline, but he knew Mr Wood was right. He needed time to recover from all his running in the previous match. And as he watched, TJ could see that something had changed. The Parkview players suddenly seemed to have plenty of time on the ball, even though the Redhill players marked them closely. Rob was like a spider in the middle of a web, spraying deadly accurate passes around the pitch. They took Redhill by surprise, and a short distance along the touchline TJ overheard the Redhill coach turn to his assistant and say, ‘I thought this lot were meant to be poor.’

‘Oh no,’ gasped the assistant. ‘Look at that!’

Rob had chipped a pass over the heads of the Redhill defence and Ebony was onto it. She waited for the goalkeeper to dive at her feet and then lifted the ball neatly over his body and into the net. She didn’t celebrate, but ran and picked the ball out and carried it back to the halfway line.

Suddenly, three goals looked possible after all.