The game against Oakwood High kicked off at 3pm, just three days after the match against St. Mary's. In between the games we'd had two more training sessions, the first of which was a recovery session, and the second of which focused on what we would likely encounter against Oakwood. They had a reputation for employing the dark arts, so we practiced short-sharp passing drills, designed at moving the ball on quickly and moving into space, so that they would have no time to commit fouls. Miss Snell also emphasised how we'd have to be mentally strong as they'd try and get into our heads and potentially try to get one or more of us sent off.

Training had gone well for me individually. I seemed to be applying the tactics Miss Snell was wanting to see and was scoring with better efficiency. Now all I had to do was apply that in the match. I was a bit worried that I'd start as a sub given my abject performance against St. Mary's, but Miss Snell selected the same starting XI and subs as we'd had in that match. "No need to change a winning team", was what she had said.

My pre-match routine was much the same as it had been three days prior. I got ready at Miss Snell's house and we made our way over to get the pitch prepped for the match. We only had to sort the nets and water bottles this time as the pitch was still marked from the other day, so we only arrived about half hour before everyone else.

On this occasion, I was wearing a blue sports bra and matching bikini briefs under my kit. They were both emblazoned with the adidas brand name and logo.

I was starting to wonder about how Miss Snell how acquired all these clothes for me to wear. I had spent more than a week now where every day I was dressing up as Tabitha, and in that time I had worn several different outfits. I knew that the football tops I wore to training were Miss Snell's, supposedly, and that my match kit was school property. But what about the bras and knickers I'd been wearing? And that's not to mention the outfit I'd worn when meeting Mr Phillips the other day, or the top and skirt I wore out to the bowling alley. They couldn't be Miss Snell's as our sizes didn't match up.

As we left the house to head to the pitch, I was going to ask where all the clothes were coming from, but then thought better of it. Maybe ignorance was bliss for the time-being. Plus, I didn't want to jeopardise the situation by asking the wrong questions. I was having too much fun!

As the teams warmed up, a crowd gathered around the pitch again, just like the game against St. Mary's. There were more people this time, with a much bigger opposition support. Still, it wasn't a massive crowd - maybe 150 people in total.

We warmed up with an identical routine to our quarter final, grabbed a quick drink afterwards, listened to Miss Snell's final few tidbits of advice, and then we were ready to go.

The referee blew his whistle and the match was underway. Miss Snell wasn't wrong when she said Oakwood were masters of the dark arts: they committed a series of blatant fouls in the first 10 minutes, all but one of which went unpunished by the referee. On one occasion, I had the ball at my feet and was about to play a pass to the wing when an Oakwood player came charging up behind me and clouted me in the back with her elbow. I went sprawling to the fall and hooked my hand around the ball as I did so, thinking the ref would be giving us a free kick. But instead he gave the free kick the other way, penalising me for handball.

"What the hell?" I yelled. "She barged me from behind. It should be a free kick to us".

"No she didn't", the ref responded. "You fell of your own accord and then handled the ball. That's a free kick to them".

"You're having a laugh aren't you? So it's fine to just elbow a player in the back now? No need to make an attempt at the ball?"

"She didn't touch you. End of story. Continue with the lip, missy, and you'll be booked for dissent".

I was still dismayed and about to continue my argument when Katie came across to drag me away from him.

"No point getting booked, Tabitha, he's not going to change his mind. None of the refs have the balls to stand up to Oakwood, it's the same every time we play them."

"But...", I started, before she cut me off.

"No time for it now. Let it slide and get on with the game. Get your own back by putting the ball in their net".

Oakwood took their free kick. Their centre half launched the ball forward, it was headed down by their striker and then their captain struck a beauty of a half-volley past Zara in our goal. We were 1-0 down.

"Heads up girls. We go again now", Miss Snell called from the sideline.

I was so angry that they'd scored, particularly as it was clearly a terrible call from the referee that led to it. But I knew that Katie was right: if I could channel this aggression in the right way, I could get us back into the match.

The score was still 1-0 when the ref blew for half-time. We huddled around Miss Snell, who was keen to impart some wisdom.

"Hard lines there girls. We knew what Oakwood would be like, and they've just proved us right. But we need to focus on our own game and not theirs. I think that's where we went wrong in that first half. Their defence is pushed up quite high, so there's space in behind. Yet, we haven't played Tabitha or Evelyn through once. Defence, let's transition that ball quickly to the midfield, and midfield, when you get the ball, look to play it straight away through or over their defenders. Tabitha, Evelyn, when one of the midfielders get the ball, set off straight away in behind and they'll find you. Still 45 minutes left here girls and we've got the talent to turn it around. Now, come on, let's show everyone what we're made of".

With Miss Snell's words still fresh in our ears, we returned to the pitch ready for revenge. We were much better and more aggressive in the first 10 minutes of the second half, but still hadn't managed to get the ball beyond their defence.

Then, Belle played a square ball to Katie who in turn played the ball for Belle to run onto down the wing. Belle got the ball under control, took it to the edge of their penalty area and then looked up. Myself and Evelyn were both screaming for it in the box. Evelyn had found herself marked by an Oakwood player at the back stick, but I had managed to lose my player and weave a run around to the front post. Belle struck the ball low and hard towards the edge of the 6-yard box. I stretched my right leg for all I was worth, hoping to connect with Belle's cross...and I managed to do just that. My tiptoe managed to get to the ball just before their keeper and poked the ball into the bottom-right corner. We were back level.

I got up quickly and grabbed the ball. I tucked it under my arm and ran with it back to the centre circle. High-fiving teammates on the way, I now had the bit between my teeth. I placed the ball down the the spot with authority and got back into position to go again. I looked over to Miss Snell and the subs and pumped my fist in celebration - a gesture they replicated - before quickly turning my attention back to the game in hand. I was delighted to have scored, a feeling I'd not experienced in the boys' team in a proper match for 2 years or more, but knew the game wasn't won yet. But the fire in my belly had been well and truly ignited, and I knew, don't ask me how, that we'd win the game from here.

With 25 minutes still to play, we won a corner. I took up my designated position just outside the box. Belle floated the corner into the box, but an Oakwood player headed it clear at the near post. However, they didn't clear it very far and the ball fell to my feet just outside the D. I got the ball under control, moved it 1 yard to my right, and clipped my foot around it. I lofted a delicious cross towards the back post, where Millie had found herself stationed still from the initial corner. She towered above her marker, planted her forehead to the ball, and powered her header past the despairing Oakwood goalkeeper. 2-1.

She ran off to the corner to celebrate, and the team all followed her. We were cheering and high-fiving, hugging anyone and everyone who was near to us. Then Katie got us into a quick huddle.

"Brilliant girls, but we can't let this slip from here. We keep our heads now and do everything basic. No risks at the back and we'll see this out. Come on."

She roared these last two words and led us in a run back to our half for the restart of the match. We were all pumped up but knew cool heads were called for, and we did manage the game well from there on out. There were a few close calls: Oakwood pressed for an equaliser and thrice drew good saves from Zara. But as they pressed for that equaliser, they left more gaps in their defence.

After one of her saves, Zara had ball in hand. All of the Oakwood players had pushed up the pitch in desperation, as it was now approaching full time.

"Quick!" Miss Snell screamed. "Release Tabitha!"

Zara looked up and spotted that I'd set off on a forward run. Instantaneously, she struck the ball forward. I was in my own half as the ball left her foot, so I was onside. I got the bouncing ball under control, looked up, and saw it was just me versus the keeper. A quick glance behind told me that no other player, any of my teammates nor any Oakwood player, were catching up. I had the freedom of the Oakwood half to myself.

I took the ball into the Oakwood penalty box with my first 3 touches. As I entered the box, their keeper started to move off her line. She approached quickly and I considered chipping her. But I decided against that and dropped my shoulder to the left. This sent her in the same direction, and I quickly manoeuvred the ball to the right, instead. I took another touch to take it past her fully and was left with a completely empty net. I dribbled right up to the goal line, not wanting to take any chances, and proceeded to leather the ball into the net. 3-1.

I punched both fists into the air in celebration. None of my teammates came to celebrate with me, but I could see why: they were all knackered and had collapsed to the ground with relief as I'd scored our third goal, the goal that had put our win and place in the final beyond doubt. I made my way back slowly to our half and passed the disconsolate Oakwood team on my way, averting my gaze from the scowls they threw my way. Three minutes later, the referee blew his whistle to signal full time.

We'd done it! County Cup final, here we come!

We were all celebrating wildly when one of the Oakwood players approached me with her hand outstretched. I smiled and reciprocated the handshake, but as soon as I was in her grip she wouldn't let go. She pulled me in and proceeded to barrage me with abuse.

"You lot got lucky today. Never seen a worse team make the final. You're just lucky your coach obviously paid the ref before the match. I got a right mind to lay you out right now."

She let go, pushing me back as she did so. I stared at her in disbelief. She then spat a ferocious volume from her mouth which hit me straight in the face.

"What do you think you're playing at!?" Katie screamed as she ran over. She positioned herself between me and the other girl.

"What you gonna do?" the girl asked.

To which Katie responded by striking her flush in the cheek with a haymaker of a right hook. The girl was sent to the ground in an instant.

A huge fury then broke out amongst all of the players. No more punches thrown, but lots of grabbing, confronting and screaming profanities. It took a monumental effort from both of the teams' coaches, some of the spectators and the referee to break everyone up. While all of this was happening, Belle had ushered me to the side and grabbed a towel from her kit bag to wipe the spit from my face.

Eventually, everything did die down and both teams were separated. We were cooling down as a group by the side of the pitch, Miss Snell doing her best to calm everyone down, when the referee strolled over.

"Captain, a word please", he summoned Katie.

She walked towards him.

"I saw what caused all that commotion. You punched that girl in the face. Violent conduct gives me no choice but to show you a red card." At which point he pulled out the red card and brandished it to Katie.

"You can't do that, the match had finished", a few of the girls protested.

"Actually, I have authority to show yellow and red cards for offences from the time I enter the field at the start of the match until the time I leave the game. She punched that girl as I was still shaking hands, so the red card stands." He then walked off.

Everyone was dismayed. The elation we had felt immediately after the match had rapidly evaporated.

And the reality of the situation was outlined by Miss Snell when she said: "well, girls, we're in the final, which is a great achievement...but, Katie, you'll be suspended for it now, because of that red card".