The two set of players walked out onto the pitch before spreading out onto a long horizontal line. After a few moments, the home team, Middlesbrough Under 21s, branched out of the line and started shaking the hands of everyone on the opposition team.
Mason who thought he was already nervous, experienced a new wave of nervousness when he started shaking the players in the Rangers players. He had seen a face, that triggered bad memories. Every person that he shook before getting to him felt like he was walking the plank, until he was about to jump, until he did jump, and fall into the ocean.
Mason remembered the face, it was one of those faces that he simply wouldn't forget even if nothing did happen that day. After all, what was a six foot six behemoth of a player doing playing in an U-21 friendly.
A couple of minutes later, Mason was standing in the team huddle. He had successfully managed to calm himself and take his attention away from the defender who tackled him. Hayden Hackney just said a few words to fire the team up and they were out of the huddle and walking to their respective positions. The Rangers U-21 captain won the coin toss and he opted for his team to be the one to kick off the match.
While Mason was walking, he felt an arm wrap around his shoulder. "Hey man, like I said no need to be nervous. I've got you. Just be calm and play your game".
"Thanks man". Mason nodded.
The referee blew his whistle and the match commenced.
The first five minutes of the game was back and forth between the two teams, which neither side managing to assert dominance or create anything. They just exchanged possession as either side were rushing to score.
Up until that point Mason had not yet touched the ball. He was just positioned in the midfield, a bit deeper than Hayden Hackney, allowing the youth captain a little bit of freedom to roam.
'Alright, nice and simple, nice and simple, nothing too special'. Mason kept repeating these words in his head.
And then he got the ball.
His first involvement in the match was nothing special. He got the ball from an advanced player and controlled it with his first touch, before releasing it to Hackney who had dropped deep and was just a small distance away from him.
After that, he laid off a couple more passes and started to grow into the game. All the thoughts and worries he had before the game started were pushed to the back of his head once he started enjoying himself on the pitch.
15'
The match was still in its early stages, but Middlesbrough had managed to get a firm grip on it, controlling the possession and even getting a couple of shots in the process, and that was mainly thanks to the midfield pivot of Mason and Hackney. Middlesbrough were currently playing in a 4-4-2 which left the pair to orchestrate the midfield and they were doing so very well.
Mason was the one who remained deeper between the two, getting the ball from the center backs and then passing it higher up the field, while Hackney with his brilliant ball progression brought the ball from the midfield to the attack. They were a dream combination.
The Middlesbrough U-21 center backs were currently in possession of the ball. As usual Mason dropped deep and received the ball to his feet. Immediately the ball got to him, however, he felt someone ram against his back, and a leg stretch beyond him to try and nick the ball away.
Mason didn't panic. He had even been expecting the sudden press after all, it would be weird if they saw he drop to receive the ball repeatedly and they didn't try to take advantage of it somehow.
He raised his right hand to shield himself and the ball, and then shifted his body, making it seem like he was going to turn to his left, before sharply turning to his right and passing the ball back to Hayden who had dropped deep.
Mason didn't stop running when he passed the ball to Hayden. His midfield partner read his intention and released the ball back to Mason with his first touch.
Mason took the ball in his stride and continued driving it forward until he reached the halfway line... and then he looked up.
Mason wasn't a very exceptional midfielder. He wasn't fast, even though he had a nice figure, he wasn't a physical beast, he was average, or maybe less than defensively. The only thing that set him apart from other midfielders was his passing and his vision, both which seemed out of this world. Especially his vision.
He didn't know how to explain it. Once he looked up, he saw everything. Everything. Everybody, every run, he saw it. It was like showing a person with photographic memory a picture. Once he looked up, he saw everything. He saw things beyond his passing ability.
When Mason looked up, he saw the two wingers running into the box. He simply took his pick and sent an underlapping pass to the right flank. The Middlesbrough U-21 right winger got the ball under control with his left foot and then pushed the ball forward, squaring it across the goal when he got to the byline.
Luckily for him, and the Middlesbrough U-21 team, their striker was very active. As soon as he saw his team's winger run towards the byline, he shrugged off his markers and went into the penalty box, managing to stick his leg out and redirect the low cross towards the goal post.
There was simply no hope for the Rangers U-21 goalkeeper. He could only watch as the ball went into the back of the net.
As soon as the goal went it, most of the Middlesbrough U-21 players ran towards the striker that scored. The only ones that remained on the pitch were the defenders, and Mason who watched the celebrations with a small smile on his face.
'Keeping things simple. Just keeping it simple'.