Everything with you

Part 26

Justin

The York's game didn't go our way. It was a fiercely contested  match between Yorks and us; the game was overshadowed by a controversial incident that ultimately led to Yorks securing a narrow victory. The match was intense from the start, with both teams battling for dominance, but it was a single, shocking moment that defined the outcome.

We entered the game without our  striker Nate, who was benched, leaving us without our primary offensive weapon. Despite this, we managed to keep the game even, frustrating Yorks with solid defense and strategic play.

However, the match took a dark turn early in the second half. During a scramble for the ball near the penalty area, Yorks striker Steve collided with Ash. The striker's elbow made direct and forceful contact with his face, sending him crashing to the ground. The impact was severe, leaving him dazed and bleeding.

The referee immediately stopped play, but to the disbelief of the UCLA players and fans, the asshole only received a yellow card for the deliberate and dangerous foul. I was unable to continue and had to be taken off the field.

This incident demoralized our team. With Ash out, UCLA's defense faltered under the relentless pressure from Yorks. Sensing their advantage, Yorks intensified their attacks, and not long after, they found the back of the net, scoring the only goal of the match.

The goal stood as the match-winner, but the victory was marred by the controversy surrounding Ash's injury. Many accused the York striker of intentionally targeting him in a move that was more about intimidation than fair play. The aftermath of the match saw heated debates about the refereeing decisions and the ethical implications of the York striker's actions.

In the end, Yorks claimed the victory, but the manner in which it was achieved left a lasting stain on the game, with UCLA feeling that the result was unfairly influenced by a moment of unsportsmanlike conduct.

Ash was rushed away immediately after his injury for a concussion test. Once the final whistle blew, Steve had the audacity to come and taunt us. Our goalkeeper Joel was the first one to lose his cool and punch Steve in the face. He had every right to do so. Steve was being a dick, but this was a home game for them; we were in his home ground. Coach and I had to pull the brawling players apart. Joel was left with a busted lip.

I waited for him as our medic cleaned up his wound. I could see the concern in Coach Grayson's face. We had just lost 2 games on our season, but every loss was critical as it put the points on the other team's table. We had two weeks break for our next match; we had to bring nothing short of our A game for the next.

"That looks awful, man," I say to Joel.

"You should look at the other guy," he says with a chuckle, making me smile.

After we were finished with the medics, we were headed home on the team bus. The atmosphere was grim. We needed a break to regroup and gather our thoughts so that we could do better in our upcoming games. Ash cleared his concussion test, but he was not in good shape. I dropped him off at Nate's and proceeded to go home. It was not late, but I had to get up early to drive with Emma to her hometown, Elmsdale.

I had already informed Ma that I would be going away this weekend. Since she already knew Emma and I were dating. Usually, I would be worried about leaving her alone, but Don's spending the weekend over. She was upset that I wouldn't be available for the family bonding, but I was not ready to deal with him. I checked my phone as I landed on my bed after a quick shower. In all the commotion today, I never had a chance to check my phone. As I thought I had a couple of messages from Emma. She also had work today. I quickly type a message and send it to her.