The league table hadn't been misleading, Linton were second from bottom and had two victories all season. But Coach Warren's message on the bus was clear.
"Lads, these are the kind of games you win championships. Everyone's going to be expecting us to roll them, but if we take things for granted, they'll kick us around. They'll scrap, they'll fight, and they'll look for any mistake. Respect the opposition, play our game, and let's get the job done."
The Linton ground was a world away from Crestwood's training facilities. The grass was thin, the nets rusty, and the sparse crowd huddled under umbrellas in the rain. However, the home fans shouted raucously, hoping their team could pull off an upset.
From the very kick-off, Linton materialized just as Warren had predicted. They charged at them furiously, dished out crunching tackles, and punctured the game at every opportunity. Ethan was brought to the ground twice in the first five minutes. Mason was incensed, shouting, "Don't get bullied! Win your duels!"
In the 12th minute, Linton almost stunned them all. A throw down the box deep booted around awkwardly, and their striker hooked a shot that struck the post. The rebound was cleared on the half-volley just in time.
Crestwood responded immediately. In the 19th minute, Ethan finally had some room and played a pass through to Callum. Callum blasted low, but the keeper saved it with his legs.
The breakthrough finally came in the 28th minute. Mason had won a ball in midfield and driven straight on. He played in Ethan, who appeared to shoot but rather played the ball wide to the left winger. The cross came in to a tee, and Callum met it first time with a volley into the net. 1–0 Crestwood.
Linton didn't crumble though. Just before halftime, their winger whipped in a free kick that caused chaos in the box, but Crestwood's keeper made a crucial save to preserve the lead.
At halftime, Coach Warren was firm. "You're ahead, but nowhere near comfortable. Raise the tempo, move the ball faster, and kill this game."
Crestwood were faster in the second half. At the 52nd minute, Ethan picked up the ball on the edge of the box, jinked past one of the defenders, and bent a shot for the top corner. The keeper blocked it, but Mason took advantage of the rebound and tapped it in. 2–0 Crestwood.
Then the visitors took control of the game. Linton continued to struggle, but Crestwood's passing became more fluid, and their composure showed. Ethan put the final nail in the coffin in the 71st minute. He took the ball on the edge of the box, headed left with the ruse, cut right, and shot low into the bottom corner. 3–0 Crestwood.
The final whistle was greeted with relief, not joy. The waterlogged pitch, the physical exertions, the constant battling—it was not beautiful, but it was three vital points.
"That's the difference," said Mason, wiping mud off his equipment. "We keep our heads, we win."
Callum smiled. "Another for me. Still top of the charts."
Ethan smiled, exhausted but beaming. "Whoever scores doesn't matter. What matters is that we remain top."
Now heading into the final matchday, Crestwood had a one point advantage over Westford. And as the boys boarded the bus to go home, Ethan realized games like this one were just as important as the big games.