Hot-Shot Harry (5 page)

Oliver gave a shrug. “Well, we'll just have to make sure we win.”

“A draw will do,” said Brad.

But Harry was not playing for a draw.

“We're going to win,” he told his team. “And score as many goals as we can.”

There were lots of goals. Neither side could hold onto a lead for long. At the final whistle, it was 3–3, and Oliver had scored a hat-trick.

“Told you it'd be a draw,” grinned Ravi.

“Yeah, well, at least we scored a few,” said Harry, although he was cross that he had not added any goals. His best effort had clanged against the metal crossbar, but it did not go in.

“Take a break now,” Mrs Phillips told the players. “There's a short interval before the semi-finals.”

“Who are we playing?” asked Oliver.

“A school from the city,” said the teacher. “York Juniors. They won Group B.”

Mrs Phillips took Charlotte to one side to check how she was.

“I'll be all right, Miss,” Charlotte insisted. “I feel fine.”

Leela guessed that her friend was not telling the truth.

“Keep it up, Charlie,” she said when the teacher had moved away. “Do you want some ice?”

“An ice cream?” asked Charlotte hopefully.

“No, some ice to put on that ankle!” said Leela.

Harry gathered the Gateway squad together. He wanted to have his own team talk before Mrs Phillips came to take over.

“Right, guys, let's get ready,” he said. “Dad saw this York lot win one of their games, and he says they play hard. Don't try anything fancy, Leela, or they will be after you.”

“Then we'll get a few free kicks, won't we?” she replied.

“Depends on the ref,” Harry said. “Anyway, we don't want these guys thinking they can walk all over us. We give as good as we get – OK?”

“OK!” echoed the other players as Mrs Phillips came over.

“Good luck, everyone,” she said. “As long as you do your best, it doesn't matter about the result.”

“Huh!” grunted Harry under his breath. “A win is the only result we want.”

Harry's dad was right about York School. The very first time that Harry got the ball, a defender clattered into him from behind and left him lying on the floor.

Peeep!

Harry jumped to his feet when the whistle went, keen to take the free kick himself.

He kicked the ball low and hard, but the keeper threw himself to his right and turned the ball away to safety.

As Harry had warned, Leela came in for some rough treatment when she tried to run with the ball.

She was knocked down twice. The second time, the referee awarded another free kick.

York expected Harry to go for a goal, but he tricked them by slipping the ball into space on his right instead. Oliver was ready for it, and he steered the ball into the corner of the net with the side of his foot.

“Wicked, Ollie!” cried Harry, jumping onto his back.

But that was their only success of the first half. By half time, Gateway found themselves 2–1 down. York had scored twice in a minute and Brad was to blame for both goals.

“You dummy!” snapped Harry.

“Never mind, Bradley, these things happen,” Mrs Phillips told him, but she replaced Brad with Ravi for the second half.

Ravi was on top form. Thanks to his defending, Charlotte only had to make a couple of saves, although one of them was brilliant. She dived low to her left to grab the ball, snuggling it to her chest so that it could not escape.

“Top stop, Charlie!” Harry shouted.

“To me, Charlie!” cried Leela as the goalie got back to her feet.

Charlie rolled the ball into Leela's path. Two York players tried to trip Leela as she sprinted forward, but her speed and balance fooled them. Glancing up, she saw that Harry had found space to her left.

Her pass was perfect. Harry did not even have to control the ball and he hit it firmly, past the York keeper.

“Hot-shot!” he bellowed at the top of his voice.