The bus rolled through the countryside, moving toward the tough field of Linton FC. The atmosphere was different from the previous week. The win boosted their confidence, but whispers about Premier League scouts stirred individual ambitions. Players were quieter, focused on what they needed to do for their performance.
Linton's U16s were known for their physical play, and their home ground was recognized for its intense atmosphere, where the crowd's shouts felt personal.
In the cramped away dressing room, Coach Shaw's voice was cold. "Linton will try to turn this into a fight," he said, pacing the limited space. "They will kick you, shout at you, and try to mess with your heads. Don't let them. And let me be clear," he paused, his eyes on Callum and a few other forwards. "I don't care if there are a hundred scouts out there. If you play for yourself today, you'll be sitting next to me. We win as a team. Understood?"
The message was blunt, but the pull of personal fame was strong. From the first whistle, the game unfolded just as Shaw had predicted: a scrappy, angry fight. Linton's players dove into tackles, and the home crowd cheered for every hard challenge.
Early on, Crestwood managed to break through Linton's press. Ethan slipped a smart pass to Callum at the edge of the box. The angle was tight, but the right winger was making an unmarked run into a good scoring position. A simple square pass was the expected move. Instead, Callum, imagining the scout watching, tried to blast the ball into the top corner from a tough angle. The shot flew harmlessly over the bar.
Mason, who had raced forward in support, threw his hands up in frustration. "Play the simple pass!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the crowd noise. Callum shrugged and jogged back into his position.
This pattern continued. Crestwood struggled to find their groove, their game disrupted by a mix of Linton's aggression and their own selfish plays. At halftime, the score was still 0-0, and Coach Shaw's anger was clear.
The second half was just as tense. With fifteen minutes left, the score was still tied. Then, Crestwood regained possession and launched a counter-attack. Ethan moved the ball forward, eyes up, weighing his options. Callum made a run, calling for the ball, arms outstretched. He was marked. On the other side, the left winger was sprinting into open space.
For a moment, Ethan hesitated. The easy choice was to please his star striker, his friend. The right choice was to make the winning pass.
He disregarded Callum's calls and slid a perfectly timed ball into the winger's path. The winger took one touch and calmly slotted it past the advancing goalkeeper. 1-0 Crestwood.
The team ran to celebrate with the winger, but Callum stayed back for a moment, hands on his hips, glaring at Ethan. He eventually jogged over to join the celebration, but his annoyance was clear. From across the pitch, Mason caught Ethan's eye and gave him an approving nod.
Crestwood held on for a crucial, tough 1-0 win. On the bus ride home, the mood was low despite the victory. Callum sat alone, listening to music.
Ethan sat next to Mason, looking out the window. He had made the right choice for the team, but it had come at the cost of his friendship. He was starting to realize that leadership wasn't just about good passes on the field. It was about making tough choices that impacted everyone and dealing with the fallout.
League Table After MD 2
Rank Team P W D L GF GA GD PTS
1 Riverton 2 2 0 0 4 1 +3 6
2 Crestwood 2 2 0 0 2 0 +2 6
3 Ashbourne 2 1 1 0 4 1 +3 4
4 Greenford 2 1 0 1 2 1 +1 3
5 Marston Vale 2 1 0 1 2 1 +1 3
6 Westford 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 3
7 Northbridge 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 2
8 Eastfield 2 0 1 1 1 3 -2 1
9 Linton 2 0 0 2 0 3 -3 0
10 Harrington 2 0 0 2 0 5 -5 0