Page 67 of The Lady and the Footballer
“Do not do anything that would cause me to lose my top forward.”
“Aw, Rhys, I didn’t know you thought so highly of me,” he said with a grin, causing Rhys to roll his eyes and slap Colin on the back to get him moving.
“Get out there,” he said from between gritted teeth. “And prove your worth so that you’re not sacked by this time tomorrow.”
“I always knew you loved me, Rhys!” he called over his shoulder as he ran out onto the field, the captain’s snort following him.
The crowd's roar filled Colin’s ears as he jogged onto the pitch at their home ground in Manchester. The cold bit through the wool of his uniform, but the weather was perfect for a football match, although perhaps not for those in the crowd, which he peered into, trying to find Lily.
But he had to put her out of his head for the next ninety minutes. His job was to score goals, and score goals he would, or some of his dreams could be over before they even began.
"Let's go, lads!" shouted Rhys, as he walked to centre field for the coin toss. "No mercy today!"
Tommy and Felix nodded their heads vigorously from the wings. When Rhys won the coin toss, he passed the ball over to Tommy, but the Old Estonians proved their mettle when they came out on the attack. Their forwards were quick and nimble, dancing around the defenders.
When Rhys took control of the ball, Colin sprinted up the pitch, calling for it. Rhys sent a beautiful long pass in his direction. Colin leapt, catching the ball with his head in midair and directing it toward the goal, but their keeper made a brilliant diving save. The Estonians counter-attacked quickly, catching the rest of the team on their heels as they had likely been anticipating Colin scoring as he usually did. Instead, the Estonians’ striker came up with the ball and ripped a low shot that just missed the corner post — far too close for comfort.
As the half progressed, Manchester finally began to find their rhythm. Colin made some threatening runs into their box, narrowly missing a cross from Tommy.
Their defense was suffering. Mickey was slow getting back on defense and made a couple of sloppy passes. The Estonians capitalized on one of his mistakes, their midfielder intercepting his pass and having a go from long range. Hardy, the keeper, was just able to tip it over the crossbar.
Manchester regrouped around the bench at halftime, the score tied with no points a side.
"Come on Mickey, get your head in the game," Rhys said, patting him on the back. "We need you out there."
"I can’t get my feet on the ball,” he said in frustration as they nodded in sympathy. They’d all had those days.
When the second half began, the intensity ratcheted up even higher. Both sides flew around the field, desperate for the go-ahead goal. Colin stomped the turf in frustration as the Estonian defender blocked another one of his shots. They were knocking on the door but couldn't break through.
With twenty minutes to play, disaster struck. Mickey tried to dribble through two defenders near their own box. The Estonians picked his pocket, and their striker pounced on the loose ball. With only Hardy to beat, he coolly slotted it home. The few away fans cheered as Manchester was now down a goal with time running out.
“Keep it away from our goal, Mick,” Colin called out as they jogged back to midfield. He didn’t want to make Mickey feel any worse, but on an off-day, he should have kept himself as far away from putting the game at risk as he could.
Manchester poured on the pressure, Rhys spraying passes all over the pitch, Colin trying to spring free, but the Estonians surrounded their goal with defenders.
With one minute remaining, Tommy whipped one across the field in a last desperate cross. Colin lunged with every ounce of his being, his cleats leaving the ground as he stretched toward the ball. His head connected and the ball rocketed throughthe posts just as the final whistle blew. Manchester had tied the game. The home crowd exploded as Colin looked around, searching out Lily to share the moment with her, but was unable to find her.
In the ensuing huddle, the players were all grins and back slaps, but there was still work to be done. Extra time loomed.
"Alright, lads, we've got them on the ropes now," Rhys rallied. "Let's finish this!"
Manchester came out firing, Colin and Tommy both narrowly missing chances. But the Estonians weren't going quietly. Hardy had to make a spectacular leaping save to keep the score level.
Finally, Rhys played a beautiful through ball to Colin. He was in alone on the keeper. Colin took a touch to steady himself and then, as the goalie charged out, coolly chipped it over his head and through the unattended goalposts. As cheers sounded around them, Colin sprinted to the corner, his teammates in hot pursuit.
The team nearly couldn’t overcome their excitement as they filed into the bathhouse. Securing a spot in the next round of the FA Cup was a huge accomplishment. But it had been too close. Far too close. Colin couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. He just wasn’t sure what it was today.
But like most things, he was sure he would find out soon.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Lily!”
Lily cringed. This could not be anything good.
Her father hadn’t allowed her to watch the match today, and she had sat in her room, desperate to find a way to get there.
But he would have known. Her mother was home, likely enjoying the respite from watching a football match, and Lily didn’t see any way of sneaking out and avoiding notice by someone tied to the football team.
