Starlight FC VS Ashford Rovers (2)

As Turner sprinted down the right flank near Kay, Kay seized the moment to offer some quick tactical advice. "Hey, Turner!" Kay called him with a low voice. 

"I have a message for you to deliver to Harper, Tell him to commit some tactical fouls on Flash if he needs to, but make sure he's not the last defender. We can't risk a direct red card." 

Turner nodded, understanding the message that he should deliver to Harper.

A few minutes later, after a corner kick, Kay noticed Turner relaying the message to Harper. 

Harper glanced over at Kay, who met his gaze and gave a confirming nod. 

Harper understood the assignment; it was a heavy task, and he should be very cautious to avoid any possible sanctions. 

By the 30th minute, Starlight FC began an attack. The right triangle initiated a series of short passes that drew Ashford's defenders in, mirroring a tactic that had been used from the beginning of the match. 

As the defenders clustered on the right, Sam seized the opportunity to send a long pass to Antony, who was positioned on the left flank. 

Antony controlled the ball expertly, his movements fluid as he approached the right full-back. 

With a quick drag back, he faked as if he would head towards the wing, only to change direction sharply and drive towards the penalty area. 

Caine now hesitated. He was torn between marking Dragan, who was lurking dangerously behind him, and challenging Antony directly. 

Caine decided to close in on Antony, trusting that the second defender would cover Dragan. 

But just as Caine advanced, Antony delivered a precise pass to the space Caine had left, passing the ball to Dragan. 

Caine turned back to find that Dragan was already positioning himself to receive the pass. 

Dragan, despite being right-footed, had no choice but to strike the ball with his left foot, because of the pressure from the second defender. 

He took the shot with one swift motion, aiming for the bottom left corner of the goal. The ball flew low and fast, heading straight for the net. 

For a brief moment, it seemed like the equalizer was inevitable. The crowd collectively held its breath as the ball arrowed toward the goal. 

But suddenly, Ashford's goalkeeper reacted with lightning speed. He stretched out fully, just managing to tip the ball with his fingertips, diverting it narrowly wide of the post and out for a corner. 

The stadium erupted with a mixture of relief and disappointment. The Starlight fans let out a resounding "OOOOOH!" as they watched the ball veer off course, so close to crossing the line. 

It was the most dangerous chance Starlight FC had created so far, and it was clear that the team was growing ever closer to breaking through Ashford's defense. 

In the 36th minute, Starlight FC continued to press forward, determined to find an equalizer. 

The trio on the right; Anouar, Sam, and Riley, began their passing exchange, drawing Ashford's defenders into a familiar pattern. 

The defenders were defending, expecting another long pass that had become Starlight's signature move in the match. 

But this time, Anouar had something different in mind. Instead of launching the anticipated long ball, he made a precise through pass between Ashford's left full-back and their midfielder, catching everyone off guard. 

The ball slid perfectly into Riley's path as he made a darting run towards the ball. 

Riley, seizing the opportunity, reached the ball and, with a swift motion, delivered a high cross into the box. 

Both Dragan and Caine, leapt into the air, eyes locked on the incoming ball. The cross was slightly overhit, just out of Dragan's reach for a direct header at goal. 

Instead, Dragan, with impressive agility, managed to nod the ball to the left flank with the back of his head. 

Waiting in that exact spot was Antony, who had been lingering on the edge of the box, ready for any loose ball. 

The pass from Dragan fell perfectly to him. Antony quickly controlled the ball and, without a moment's hesitation, sprinted toward the goal. 

This time, Caine was more cautious. He signaled the second defender to close down on Antony, while he stayed close to Dragan, determined not to repeat the mistake that almost cost them earlier. 

Antony, with the ball at his feet, charged toward the box, his eyes scanning the defense. 

The second defender approached rapidly, ready to block any attempt. Antony's mind worked quickly, he knew he needed to outsmart the defender. 

As he neared the edge of the box, he made a sudden move, pretending to open his body for a shot at the far post. 

The defender reacted instantly, stretching out his leg to block the anticipated shot. 

But it was a feint. Just as the defender stretched his leg, Antony sharply cut inside, angling toward the goal. 

The abrupt change of direction caught the defender off balance, and in his effort to recover, his outstretched leg clipped Antony's foot. 

Antony, already in full stride, went down, the contact sending him tumbling to the ground inside the penalty area. 

The referee, who had a clear view of the action, didn't hesitate. His whistle pierced the air, signaling a penalty for Starlight FC. 

Ashford's players protested, but the decision was firm. The Starlight fans erupted into cheers, sensing that this could be the moment their team had been waiting for. 

Antony quickly retrieved the ball and handed it to Dragan, the team's designated penalty taker. 

Dragan, confidently, took the ball and walked to the penalty spot. He placed it carefully on the grass, took a few steps back, and eyed the goal. 

The Ashford goalkeeper tried to read his intentions, shifting his weight nervously, but Dragan was unfazed. 

As the referee blew the whistle, Dragan charged forward with power. He struck the ball with immense force, aiming directly down the middle. 

The goalkeeper, having guessed to the left, was helpless as the ball soared into the net. 

The net rippled, and the referee signaled the goal, Starlight FC had equalized. The score was now 1-1. 

The Starlight players celebrated, gathering around Dragan to congratulate him. 

The fans in the stands roared, their cheers echoing around the stadium. Amidst the joy, Kay's sharp eyes caught sight of Ashford's manager who was deep in conversation with Caine, their captain and defensive anchor. 

Kay knew that they were discussing adjustments, likely trying to counter Antony and Dragan's growing influence. 

Kay anticipated they would switch Caine to mark Antony more closely, while the second defender would shadow Dragan. 

But as the match resumed, what unfolded on the field surprised him. 

In the 44th minute, Starlight launched another attack. A long pass was sent towards Antony, but just as he was about to control it, he realized something had changed. 

Ashford's right full-back was now marking him with a new intensity, standing directly in front of him, cutting off any space Antony might have used for his quick dribbles, not like before when Antony received the ball and had plenty of space to realize his dribbles. 

Antony attempted to outpace the full-back, flicking the ball into the space behind and sprinting after it. 

Antony's path was narrow, and before he could reach the ball, Caine had already read the situation. 

He swooped in, clearing the ball with a powerful kick before Antony could even think about his next move. 

Kay, watching from the sidelines, was thinking about this tactical change. The Ashford manager's tactical adjustment was simple but effective. 

Instead of just assigning Caine to Antony, they had positioned the full-back to cut off Antony's dribbling lanes while Caine provided the necessary cover. 

This forced Antony into a position where his speed and skill were neutralized by the lack of space. 

For the remaining minutes of the first half, neither team managed to create any dangerous opportunities. 

The game settled into a tense rhythm, both sides cautiously probing for weaknesses but finding none. 

As the referee blew the whistle to signal the end of the first half, Kay knew that the second half would require something different. 

The adjustments from Ashford had effectively countered Starlight's attacking threat, and now it was up to Kay to find a new strategy or to use his hidden weapons to break through their defenses again. 

See you in the next chapter...