The roar from forty-thousand throats vibrated the rusty iron bars, and terror held me rigid. I grasped the bars and screamed I prayed feverishly for some kind of last minute reprieve, but my guts told me it was a waste. There were only fifteen minutes left to play. I was drawn next and would be called just like the others. Then it came, frenzied stamping, hissing and inane howling. Finally the call for another ball.

'Bring on the Ball Boy. Bring on the Ball Boy.'

A saline tear ran down my cheek into my mouth. I spat.

Suddenly a leathery pockmarked face pressed itself against the bars. A sliver of snot from it's long nose, stretched, fell on to my knuckle and slowly edged its way down my wrist.

'Three two to the Wyverns,' it spat. The single curved broken tooth bobbed up and down like a yo-yo as it added. 'Your turn now pinkie.'

The key squealed in the lock. Poking it's scaly head around the door it hissed. 'Straighten your cap pinkie.'

I pulled the black and white skull cap tight around my head, and smoothed down my chequered cat suit. I sucked in damp dungeon air.

Forty-five paces and into the embrace of forty-thousand screaming animals. Fire oozing from every mouth, the searing heat shimmered in the bright sunlight. The pitch was streaked red, and scarlet rivulets of congealed blood smeared both goal posts. Festoons of bloodied black and white chequered strips dangled from the nets.

The Wyverns were right as I approached with the Dragons defending the left. Twenty-two fire breathing players each looking for blood and victory. Silence fell over the stadium.

I faced the referee.

'You know the rules?'

I shook my head.

'You are free if they draw. Follow me.'

Curled up on the centre spot I prayed hard. The whistle blew and the crowd roared.

A blow in my right ribs and I was flying. Wham! I skipped off a head, spun to the ground and bounced twice. A claw grabbed my arm and a foot went in my side. Wrenching my arm free I heard something crack, but there was no time for pain. I was picked up and hurtled through the air. My back struck the Wyvern goal post and I rebounded, only to be hammered into the back of the net by a Dragon striker.

The stadium erupted. Forked tongues shot out and fire erupted from thousands of throats.

'And you'll never walk alone.' The song reverberated around the stadium walls.

'You have a chance,' the referee whispered.

My back was hurting like hell but on the whistle we were off again. The Dragon chant drumming my ears.

'Come on you Reds. Come on you Reds.'

I clamped into a ball as I flew high, then I fell like a stone. My head was tucked in tight, but I felt a sharp pain in my neck when I smashed the turf. A clawed foot trapped me firmly then heat blistered my cheek as scaly faces rubbed against mine. Suddenly I was dragged from under the clawed foot and became the centre of a tug of war. The stench of sulphur choked my throat. I coughed then felt a sharp pain as my right index finger was ripped off at the first joint. I screamed. One of them laughed in my ear then the whistle blew.

A Wyvern player did a quick cauterisation job on the stump. It smelled like barbecued steak and hurt like bloody hell.

I was a ball waiting for the free kick to be taken. Whack! A sickening pain up my arse and I was flying towards the Dragon goal.

'Goal!'

The Wyverns went wild.

'Easy! Easy!'

Entangled in the net my face streamed with blood. Claws pulled and tugged, but I was trapped. More pulling meant more tangling. The whole stadium was shouting.

'Heave! Heave!'

Belching fumes and fire two Dragon players began burning the net around me. The heat was overpowering and I fainted.

I came to with a shock. Ice water was pouring over my face, and an announcer was updating on the sound system. 'Wyverns four. Dragons three.'

'OK now?' The referee asked.

I nodded and curled up on the centre spot. I glanced at the stadium clock through my legs 'Oh my God!' I murmured fearfully. 'One minute to go. Please let the Dragons score. Please!'

Wham! I was in the air again and flying fast. I hit the grass a few yards from the Wyvern goal. Two scaly bodies crushed me between them, dropping me at their feet. A sharp talon caught my left ear through my skull cap, and a kick crushed into my right side. Suddenly the creature ripped out it's claw, and sunk it's two curved front molars into my arm. I felt pain no more.

'Penalty ref.' I heard someone shout above me.

'Penalty! Penalty!' The Dragon fans began screaming.

The referee blew his whistle and pointed to the penalty spot. Picking me up he placed me carefully on it. The warm blood from my torn ear had run across my face and into my eyes. I raised my hand to wipe it away.

'Keep still,' the referee snapped.

The crowd was silent. It seemed an age. The whistle shrilled out over the stadium.

Blap! Whoosh! I was streaking towards the goal. A claw scraped my face as the goalie just touched me in mid air. I spun like a top and veered to the left post, hit it and dropped like a stone. Dragging open my eyes I squinted through a haze of red. I was on the goal line.

The thunder of feet pounded in my ears. The Wyvern keeper was running towards me. I twisted, rolling gently over the line.

The stadium erupted. Through the noise I heard two short blasts and one long one from the referee's whistle.

I knew then that I was free.