I’m a conventional 15 year old boy living in the heart of East London. Most of the time, I play football, watch football and dream football. Come on, who don’t like football? I’m a goalkeeper for my local footy team, and playing in the London youth cup final on Sunday. I’m on my way to school and the weekend starts at 3 o’clock today.
I saw Jack and Ben leaning on the wall outside tutor.
“Alright boys” said to them.
“You better come on Sunday” said Jack jokingly. Jack was the lairy one in our team who took no shit from anyone, even refs!, earning him a few early baths. Whereas Ben was brighter than Jack, can play anywhere, can play with any foot and could do long balls what could challenge Beckham’s passes.
“We heard that Colvert Colts have got a few decent players”, Ben said warnfully.
Jack replied instantly, “So, what just take them out”
“You better not get sent off you nutter”, I told Jack. He better not have one of his mad games on Sunday, if he does we might aswell start with 10 men.
Was Sunday morning and just hours before kick-off. I didn’t get much sleep, but at least I didn’t have another football nightmare about conceding a penalty and letting them score. Instead I had a dream that their fans had drums and good support for some reason.
We was coming out of the tunnel, well not a tunnel but similar. “Are you nervous” said Raj
“Yeah course I am, but I can’t wait”.
Raj was our striker but he liked being called Albert to fit in because he was the only Asian player in our team. I was second in line behind the captain and we run out on to the pitch. There was some old 70’s music playing on the loudspeaker on the stand. The stand was made of wood with paint peeling off and was only a quarter of the length of the pitch, but what was I expecting?
Was half time in extra time and it was 3-3. It started to rain after it had been sunny earlier on, while we was getting shouted, moaned and abused in our team talk. The crowd was entertained and the game was perfectly setup for any of the teams to win.
Second half in extra time started and the crowd was getting better and louder while the weather was worsening by the minute. There were drums banging and parents encouraging their kids to do well. The rain was turning to hail and the breeze was turning to gales.
Couple of minutes on the clock and I had a horrible feeling inside me because we should have won the game by now. Suddenly, out of nowhere a ball was played over the top and their striker who looked professional and concentrated and already scored two past me, was one on one with me. “Bang”, I took him down after missing the ball and they had a penalty. It was a clear foul but our players still protested.
“Ref are you blind?”, “he got the ball”, “you need glasses” shouted several of our players in anger. I wasn’t bothered to protest.
Their captain put the ball down thon the spot and stepped backwards a few paces for his run-up. The horrible feeling went from inside of me. The dreams, the dreams, I told myelf having just realised. The referee blew his whistle.
The rain was crashing down on me and the wild wind was blowing into my face. The drums were banging as fast as my heartbeat getting faster and faster like my alarm clock. Half way through his run up his eyes was lit up and staring at the soggy ball like he wanted to kill and put all the power he has got into it. On the sidelines I could see my parents and the players in front hoping helplessly. I remembered back to the dream and seeing the disappointment on my team mates faces. I wasn’t about to let that happen again even though it had all the ingredients of the dream. The penalty taker seemed like he was going in slow motion. He stroked it as sweet as a lemon and I started to dive. Flying through the air, soaking wet, cold and grey, “Bang”…….
Saved.
Caught it, booted it up into the air, the ball wresting with the strong winds. It fell to Albert and the ball fired into the back of the net.
