The New Approach

The celebrations from the Briarwood match had barely died down before reality came crashing back in.

One victory—no matter how thrilling—didn't define a season.

For Jace Holloway, it wasn't just about winning one game. It was about proving he could keep doing it.

He had made his mark. Now, people expected him to deliver like never before and was now going viral because of the anonymous goals he scored and also making his team score the best team in the league.

By Monday morning, Harrowgate Academy was buzzing with excitement.

The school's biggest football win in years had everyone talking.

Jace's name was everywhere.

"Did you see his goal?"

"Man's faster than a bloody rocket!"

"He made Briarwood's defenders look like amateurs!"

Jace couldn't walk down the halls without someone stopping him to talk about the match.

At first, it felt good and made him feel like he was a football messiah.

But as the day went on, a different feeling started creeping in.

Pressure.

Now that people knew what he could do, they'd expect more.

More goals. More magic. More moments.

Could he keep up?

Training that afternoon was different.

Coach Davies had seen what Jace could do.

Now, he wanted more.

"You played well, Holloway," Coach said as they warmed up. "But that was one match. Good players do it once. Great players do it every time."

Jace nodded. He understood.

No more surprises. No more catching teams off guard.

From now on, every opponent would know his name.

And they'd be ready for him.

The coach had a new drill planned.

"Today, we're working on adaptability. Jace, teams know you're fast. They'll try to double-mark you and cut off your runs. You need to learn how to move smarter."

Jace took his place on the left wing. This time, Callum and another defender marked him together.

The ball came to him—but there was no space.

He tried to push past, but Callum was quicker this time, forcing him wide.

Jace ended up running out of room and losing the ball.

He cursed under his breath.

"Again," Coach ordered.

They repeated the drill. Again, Jace was boxed in.

He tried cutting inside, but Callum anticipated it.

Another lost possession.

Jace clenched his jaw.

For the first time, he felt stuck.

Theo jogged over. "You're thinking too much," he said. "You're waiting for space instead of making it."

Jace exhaled. He needed to change his approach.

The next time the ball came, he didn't wait.

Instead of trying to sprint, he stopped suddenly—forcing Callum forward.

The moment Callum adjusted, Jace flicked the ball past him and accelerated the other way this worked perfectly because he created space.

A split second of hesitation—and he was gone.

It wasn't about running faster.

It was about running smarter.

At the end of training, the Coach gathered the team.

"Next match is against Langston Academy. They're fast, they're aggressive, and they play with intensity. They'll press hard, and they'll try to shut down our wingers."

Jace's ears perked up.

Langston.

They had one of the best young defenders in the league—Ryan Carter.

He was also fast and a well-experienced player so he was going to be a threat to Holloway.

And Carter was known for shutting down fast players.

Jace had handled Briarwood.

But Carter?

This would be his toughest test yet.

The match against Langston was away.

A smaller pitch. A rowdy crowd. And a team that played with fire.

From the opening whistle, Jace felt the difference.

Langston didn't just press—they hunted.

Every time he touched the ball, Carter was there.

Fast, strong, and relentless.

Jace tried to sprint past, but Carter matched him stride for stride.

He tried to cut inside—but Carter read it.

Every move Jace made felt predictable because Carter was a great and experienced defender also.

By halftime, frustration was boiling inside him.

For the first time, he couldn't find an answer.

Halftime Adjustments.

In the dressing room, Coach Davies didn't yell.

He just looked at Jace and said, "You're trying to win a footrace, but football isn't just about speed. Find another way."

Jace nodded, wiping sweat from his forehead.

He had to think differently.

If Carter was expecting speed, then Jace had to surprise him.

The second half began.

Jace changed his movement.

Instead of sprinting immediately, he started dropping deeper into midfield.

It forced Carter to follow him, away from his usual defensive position.

And then, when the moment was right—Jace took off.

This time, Carter was half a second too late.

Jace burst forward into space. Theo saw the run—perfect pass.

Jace was through on goal.

One-on-one with the keeper.

No mistakes.

Goal.

Jace didn't celebrate.

He just turned to look at Carter.

A silent message.

"You can't stop me forever."

Langston responded instantly.

They threw everything forward.

In the 88th minute, a dangerous free-kick.

Jace stood back, watching, heart pounding.

The ball curled into the box. Chaos. Bodies everywhere.

A header—goal.

1-1.

Jace closed his eyes.

Not again.

Not another last-minute goal.

---

One Last Chance

Then—stoppage time.

Final seconds.

Jace got the ball near the halfway line.

One defender in front of him.

And behind him?

Ryan Carter.

Jace hesitated—for just a second.

Carter lunged in.

Jace saw it coming.

At the last moment, he flicked the ball between Carter's legs—a perfect nutmeg—and exploded forward.

The crowd roared.

Jace sprinted down the wing.

One last cross.

Marcus rose.

Header.

GOAL.

The whistle blew.

2-1. Harrowgate had won.

As Jace walked off the pitch, Carter approached him.

"You're not just a sprinter," Carter admitted. "You're a footballer."

Jace grinned. "Took me a while to figure that out."

Carter smirked. "See you in the next match."

Jace nodded.

He knew this was just the beginning because he was certain that he would meet a lot of tough defenders as time went on.

The expectations were rising.

The challenges were getting tougher.

But Jace Holloway?

He was ready for whatever came next.

And was known as the upcoming football Messiah.