Hot-Shot Harry by Rob Childs Page A

Ollie.”

    The girls were sitting on a grassy bank nearby.
    â€œJust look at that lot,” laughed Charlotte. “What a bunch of idiots!”
    â€œSure are,” Leela agreed. “I’m almost glad they won’t let us join in.”
    â€œYou sound as if you want to,” Charlotte said.
    â€œNo way,” said Leela.
    Then the ball came rolling towards them.

    â€œBoot it back, Charlie,” shouted Harry.
    But Leela pounced on the ball and dribbled it to the goal.
    â€œCome on, just give it back,” Harry demanded, but Leela kept on running, with the ball under control.
    Brad tried to tackle her, but Leela skipped past him.
    Another member of the Fives squad, Ravi, was in goal, standing between the bags being used as posts.

    â€œCome on, then,” Ravi shouted to her. “Bet you can’t beat me from there.”

    Leela’s shot swerved past him and went between the bags.
    â€œGoal!” she cried, and did a perfect cartwheel and forward roll. Leela was a member of the school gym club.

    Harry pulled a face. “Huh! You ought to be on telly,” he grunted.
    â€œI will be one day,” she told him with a grin. “Scoring at Wembley.”
    â€œNo chance!” said Harry.
    Ravi called across the field. “Hey! Charlie! You want to play in goal?”
    Harry gave him a dirty look. “I told you. No girls.”
    â€œWhy not?” Ravi argued. “She’s the best keeper we’ve got.”
    â€œShe’s the only keeper we’ve got,” Harry said. “You’re no good.”

    â€œI’m better than you,” Ravi snapped.
    â€œYou wish,” said Harry.
    â€œYeah? Come on, then. Prove it!” Ravi yelled.
    Leela liked seeing somebody else standing up to Harry.

    â€œYes, let’s see how good you are in goal, Harry,” she said. “If you dare.”
    Harry couldn’t back down now.
    â€œOK, then, I don’t mind going in goal for a bit,” he said. “But you two still can’t play.”
    â€œThat’s all right,” Leela smiled. “We’ll just watch.”

    The two girls stood right behind the goal, knowing that would annoy Harry and might help to put him off.
    â€œClear off!” he told them.
    â€œNo,” said Charlotte.
    â€œCharlie wants to watch you in goal.” Leela grinned. “She thinks you’re cute.”
    Charlotte giggled. Harry glared at both of them.
    â€œKeep your eyes on the game, not Charlie,” Leela told Harry.
    â€œMark your man,” Harry shouted at his defenders. “Ravi – you take Ollie. Brad, back him up.”
    Oliver was very hard to mark. He seemed to drift into spaces that no other players had noticed.
    He found a space now. As the ball floated onto the goalmouth, Ollie timed his run perfectly. He reached the ball before Harry, kicking it past him and between the bags.

    â€œOops!” giggled Charlotte. “You missed that one, Harry.”
    â€œA bit slow off your line there,” mocked Leela.
    â€œLike to see you do any better,” Harry snarled as he tramped past to collect the ball.
    â€œCharlie would have saved it,” Leela said.
    Harry booted the ball away as hard as he could.

    Harry was soon called into action once more. This time he made a fine save, diving onto the ball and stopping it.
    â€œGood stop,” said Charlotte.
    But another goal soon wiped the smile off Harry’s face. He got a hand to the ball, but he failed to stop it. The ball hit one of the bags and went in.

    Harry lay on the grass, furious.
    â€œBad luck,” said Charlotte.
    Leela did not say anything. She didn’t need to. Ravi, however, couldn’t resist.
    â€œDo you still think you’re better than me in goal?” he grinned. “Or Charlie?”
    Harry jumped up and lashed out with his fists, taking Ravi by surprise. Then Ravi knocked Harry down onto the ground.

    â€œFight!