Hype Train FC will be playing across both Saturday and Sunday next season, with the team competing in the East Berkshire Football League and the Reading & District Sunday League. You can follow all of the team's season coverage right here as we provide match reports and photo galleries from our third season as a club! All aboard.
Match Report: Singh Sabha vs. Hype Train FC
Date: Saturday 5th March 2022
Competition: EBFL Premier Division (Game 7)
Opposition: Singh Sabha Slough FC
Location: Burnham Grammar School, Hogfair Lane, Slough, SL1 7HG
Final Score: Singh Sabha Slough FC 2-2 Hype Train FC
Photographer: Sam Austin (@HypeTrainSam)
Request Photos: contact@thehypetrain.co.uk
Match Report:
Our encounter against Singh Sabha was the team's latest away outing in the East Berkshire Football League (EBFL) Premier Division this season, with this the return fixture of the club's 7-0 loss against Singh Sabha in our last league game on Saturday's, a day filled with mistakes and freak goals.
Looking for a better showing against Sabha than last time out at home, after absorbing some early pressure by the hosts, which created a few flashes at goal, it was ourselves that took the lead just after the 7th minute! A Jamie Halsall goal kick was flicked into the middle of the park by George Fradgley, with Phil Newport winning the loose ball which was cleared away by a Sabha defender - though, the clearance only fell to Jon Watkins who put the ball high up in the air, with Newport playing Leon Mannion through via his head. Mannion raced onto the through ball and calmly slotted in at the far-left post to give the team a 1-0 lead.
Having to absorb a lot of pressure, Sabha drew some incredible saves from Halsall on his debut, though even the inspired shot-stopper couldn't keep out Sabha's equalising effort with 25 minutes on the clock. Sabha's right back had time on the ball to pick out a pass to a forward player, with some nice interplay at the edge of the box, before the ball was squared back to Hassan Mahmood to fire in a rocket from range to draw the game level.
The game went into half-time at 1-1, though there was a few chances for both teams to add to their tallies. For us, Callum Fox-Spence did superbly on the ball in the middle of the park, finding time and space to feed Newport through on goal, with Newport dinking the goalkeeper and forcing a last-ditch clearance, whilst Sabha drew a couple more well-timed saves from Halsall.
The second-half offered the same intensity for both teams, with the game not slowing down. On the stroke of 60 minutes played, Robert Austin toe-poked the ball through to Mannion who raced on at goal, eventually drawing an excellent save by the Sabha keeper, though we were unable to convert the rebound. Mannion also provided a cross to the back-post for Newport, though the effort was only narrowly over the bar. Sabha also drew another excellent save from Halsall on two occasions, the first when their Number 9 fired low at the near-post, and next when a shot was palmed over the bar with the effort destined for the top corner.
After absorbing a period of pressure, Sabha were able to complete their recovery in the 67th minute when they were looking for an opening down their left, with winger Mubarak Bashir able to find space at the edge of the box before slotting an effort low to the right of our goal to give the hosts a 2-1 lead.
Unwilling to lay down, the team did press forward for an equalising effort and we were rewarded after a good sequence in the 73rd minute that led to Fox-Spence connecting with a fine left-footed volley from range, which was well saved for a corner. The resulting corner saw Fox-Spence whip in a dangerous ball, which was flicked on towards the back-post by Danny Basden, and headed home confidently by Ash Ali!
With the game poised at 2-2, there was late drama which all started when Halsall had an unfortunate clash of heads and was forced off the pitch in the 81st minute, with Callum Parr-Jones going in goal for the remainder of the game - and yes, he would be needed as in the 89th minute Sabha were awarded a soft penalty after their right winger backed into Austin and went down with the defender's arms slightly up - with the linesman awarding the spot-kick for the hosts at the death. Stepping up to the mark, their Number 9's penalty was to his right and Parr-Jones's left, with CPJ making a great save, and an equally important rebound save, to dramatically keep the scores level.
That's not the end of the tale though, as in the final minute of added time Basden beat his man off the ball which was collected by Austin, who played a pass to Mannion with the counter attack on. Mannion drove forward and fed Ash Ali racing from the right, though Ali was unable to fully connect with his shot as the keeper collects, with the team on the cusp of getting an incredible win away from home.
The draw means that after 7 games of the Premier Division played, the team remain in 9th place with 9 points (2W, 3D, 2L), with several games in hand over teams above us in the league. Next up for the team, we would take on Brothers United in RDSL Division 4 on Sunday 6th March 2022.
Thoughts from Club Secretary, Robert Austin:
"After a very weird home outing for the side against Singh Sabha, with the team on the wrong end of a 7-0 defeat that was littered with mistakes, we were keen on rectifying our mistakes from the last game and knowing more about Sabha, we felt that we came prepared with a good game plan to not only expose them on the counter, but to set up in a solid shape that would limit their chances where possible. Overall, we executed this plan very well and we are delighted with the draw as everyone in the squad worked themselves hard all afternoon. This is the first time we have managed a result against one of the big boys in the league and a great day for the team's self-belief and confidence as we look to build and grow as a top club in our own right.
Across the pitch today there were standout performances. Jamie Halsall on his debut in goal was incredible, whilst Callum Parr-Jones stepped up big time with a big penalty save, whilst in front of the keeper, Callum Gibbons and Joe Sawyer had mammoth games at the back, it's perhaps both of their best games for the club to date. Our captain, Vince, also was dominant in midfield and helped lead the midfielders around him, whilst both Ash Ali and Danny Basden were superb off the bench and helped strengthen a solid team performance - it's just a shame we couldn't have done the ultimate smash and grab right at the end of the game!
The result is arguably our best as a club, and all the squad are buzzing after a good day at the office - let's hope we can build on it as our fixture list becomes a bit of a minefield as we head into the tail end of the campaign.
Good luck for the rest of the season to Zuf and the team at Sabha, they're a very good bunch of players and are a huge credit to the EBFL - we're already looking forward to the next time we face each other."
Hype Train FC: Matchday Squad
Manager: Robert Austin
Starting 11:
GK: Jamie Halsall (Parr-Jones 81')
DEF: George Fradgley
DEF: Joe Sawyer
DEF: Callum Gibbons
DEF: Robert Austin
MID: Jon Watkins (Ali 55')
MID: Callum Fox-Spence
MID: Vince van Lembergen (Basden 55')
MID:Â Callum Parr-Jones (van Lembergen 68')
MID: Phil Newport
FOR: Leon Mannion
Substitutes:
SUB: Danny Basden
SUB: Ash Ali
Goals & Assists:
Goal 1: Mannion (goal), Newport (assist)
Goal 2: Ali (goal), Basden (assist)
Want to know more about The Hype Train?
The Hype Train is an entertainment website founded in 2015, specialising in general football and Fantasy sports reporting, starting with Fantasy Premier League (FPL), before expanding to MLS Fantasy coverage in 2018.
We pride ourselves in providing beautiful graphics, statistics, in-depth analytical reporting and free weekly insight for hopeful players attempting to climb rankings tables. We are also occasional media reviewers, with a keen interest to review games, live sport, and professional wrestling.
In 2019, Hype Train Football Club was formed, becoming the first Fantasy Football website to take to the field. HTFC is a socially active team across social and web channels, providing regular match highlights, match reports, comprehensive player statistics and unique player profiles. We won both Goal of the Season Awards in the Berkshire and County FA regions, with Callum Parr-Jones winning the Berks & Bucks FA award, whilst Martin King won the PlaySport UK award. In 2021, we formed the Reading Sunday Social League (RSSL), a competitive Sunday League involving 8 teams in its debut season.
The Hype Train were nominated and shortlisted for the 'Best Football Blog' in 2016 by the Football Bloggers Association at their annual Football Blogging Awards (The FBA's), and were again shortlisted as a finalist in 2019 in the 'Best Fantasy Football Blog' category.
You can follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, follow Hype Train FC on Instagram, subscribe to our YouTube channel for exclusive content, visit our club's dedicate website, or visit our website here at www.thehypetrain.co.uk
Believe The Hype!
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