The bus ride to Greenford was the quietest and most nerve-wracking journey of the season. The fortunate but ugly win against Northbridge had used up their one "get out of jail free" card. Now, there was no room for mistakes.
The league table, which every player had memorized, was a testament to the pressure. Crestwood sat at the top with 42 points. Riverton, with a huge goal difference after another easy win, trailed by just one point with 41. Westford, not giving up, was close behind with 39.
A draw was not an option. If Riverton won, a draw would give them the league lead going into the final day. Crestwood had to win.
"This is it," Coach Shaw said in a low voice without any theatrics in the small, concrete changing room. "Greenford is a strong team. They're fifth for a reason, and they would love to be the ones that end our dream. They will be organized and motivated.
"But they are not us. We are not here to be lucky. We are not here to hope for a deflection. We are here to win this league on our own terms. This is the last away game. The last challenge. Get through this, and we play for the title at home, in front of our friends and families. Do not let this chance slip away."
The game kicked off, and Greenford was just as expected. Strong, organized, and aggressive. But Crestwood played with a different kind of energy. It wasn't the panicked, frustrated energy from the Northbridge game; it was a cold, focused determination. They had one job to do.
For the first twenty minutes, they controlled possession, with Ethan, Mason, and Jake creating an unbreakable triangle in midfield, calmly passing the ball and looking for an opening.
In the 28th minute, it arrived, and it was a goal that defined their entire season.
It started with Mason. Greenford's midfielder attempted to turn, and Mason, with perfect timing, took the ball from him with a clean tackle that echoed in the small stadium. He didn't kick it away; he controlled the ball and made a simple, smart pass to Ethan.
Ethan received the ball, and the Greenford defense immediately reacted, with two players rushing to close him down, frightened by his reputation. This was the "gravity" they had practiced. Instead of rushing, Ethan used the attention, playing a clever, one-touch pass back to Mason, who had moved into the newly opened space.
The defense, realizing their error, scrambled to recover. Mason pushed forward, pulling the center-back out of position. This was the moment. Mason looked up and slid a pass to Callum, who had made a brilliant, unselfish run away from the goal, dragging the last defender with him.
Callum received the pass near the edge of the box, his back to goal. A year ago, he would have tried to turn and shoot. Instead, he simply laid the ball off with a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Ethan, who had continued his run, unmarked, into the space Callum had just opened.
Ethan struck the ball first time, hitting it low and hard. The keeper dove, but the shot was too precise, finding the bottom corner.
It was 1-0. The goal was teamwork at its best, a perfect example of their new philosophy, involving all three players who had started this journey.
Greenford, to their credit, did not back down. They pushed for an equalizer, turning the second half into a frantic, end to end battle. But Crestwood's defense, led by the steadfast Jake and Mason, stood firm. They would not be beaten. Meanwhile, Ethan and Callum did not just wait for another goal, they ran, tackled, and defended from the front, wisely using the clock with maturity.
The final whistle blew. The 1-0 victory felt like a championship match. The Crestwood players collapsed for a moment before pulling each other into a tight, celebratory huddle.
On the bus ride home, the atmosphere buzzed with excitement. The quiet focus was gone, replaced by the triumphant and joyful shouts of a team that could see the finish line. Callum was on his phone, shouting out the other scores. "Riverton won 4-0! Westford won 3-0! They're not letting up!"
The news, which should have scared them, only made them louder. "It doesn't matter!" Jake yelled from the back.
"It doesn't matter!" Mason echoed, a rare, broad grin on his face.
Ethan looked at Callum, then at Mason. The pressure was still there, but it felt different now. It was all in their hands.
"One more game," Ethan said, his voice filled with a confidence gained through the season's challenges. "One more. We win, and we're champions. It all comes down to Harrington. At home."