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: Hype Train FC vs. Iver Heath FC
Date: Saturday 6th November 2021
Competition: EBFL Premier Division (Game 2)
Opposition: Iver Heath FC
Location: Calcot Recreation Ground, Calcot, Reading, RG31 4XD
Final Score: Hype Train FC 3-1 Iver Heath FC
Photographer: Elisha Morris (_@elishamorris_)
Request Photos: contact@thehypetrain.co.uk
Match Report:
Our encounter against Iver Heath was the team's maiden home outing in the East Berkshire Football League (EBFL) Premier Division this season, with this a follow up from last week's 2-2 away draw against Pundit FC. This was the team's third competitive league outing against Iver Heath, having now played Iver in every divisional league within the EBFL.
The opening minutes of the game saw Iver start the brighter of the sides and were unlucky not to go ahead when they had a shot that was dragged narrowly wide, before a horror back-pass fell to their Number 11, who appeared surprised at the golden ticket chance, though Chris Marshall was alert and smothered Iver's chances for an early lead.
The first turning point of the game arrived in the 15th minute when a Abz Raisa corner was controlled by Phil Newport inside the penalty area, with Newport brought down by an opposing defender and the referee pointing to the spot. Leon Mannion was on hand to calmly slot the penalty to the keeper's left to opening the scoring - with Mannion now scoring in both EBFL games so far this season.
With a lead established, it took another 15 minutes to double the lead and happened on the counter when George Fradgley and Matt Snell combined to free Raisa down the right wing. Cutting the ball back to Mannion, the in-form forward curled the ball to the far-post to extend the lead heading into half-time.
The second-half was a more tense affair, which saw Iver miss a guilt-edged opportunity to get back in the game. Following a deep free-kick, Marshall knocked a save onto the bar and the on-rushing Iver player somehow managed to put their header over the bar from three-yards-out.
The visitors did manage to pull a goal back near the 70th minute when another set-piece fell invitingly for Iver player, Gary Ashton, to put the ball between Marshall's legs, putting the game back on a knife edge for the team.
The deciding moment happened in the 89th minute when Iver, down to 10-men at this point due to a Sin Bin for dissent, with another counter. A long ball forward by Marshall evaded the defenders in yellow, with Mannion on hand to beat a defender on the left, cutting the ball back to Ash Ali on his home debut to expertly turn the Iver defender and bury his shot into the onion bag to put the game out of reach.
Following the third goal, Iver Heath had a player shown a red card for dissent against the referee (the same player who scored a last-minute own goal when we last hosted Iver Heath in a 3-2 thriller at Calcot in Division 2 during the 2019/20 season), whilst they also had a second player put in the Sin Bin due to arguing with the referee. It was clear that Iver's players grew frustrated throughout the game and the third goal had them release some built up tension on the ref.
The final chance of the game arose seconds after Iver were reduced to 8-men when their keeper's kick was nodded down by Ali to Mannion, with our Number 9 freeing Robert Austin to take a touch and a wild shot that was spotted by a Space X satellite in lower orbit.
The draw means that we managed a win in our very first Premier Division home fixture, which puts us on 4 points after 2 games played, half-a-dozen games behind the rest of the teams in the division. Next Saturday, the team welcome Lambourn Sports at Calcot Recreation Ground in The Charles Twelftrees Trophy action, which is the top County Cup competition for grassroots teams in the county!
Thoughts from Club Manager, Robert Austin:
"After the positive 2-2 draw last weekend, and finally having started our Saturday League season, the team had momentum heading into this game - bolstered on the back of a faultless run so far in the Sunday League scene to date.
The opening minutes of the game was near-suicidal for the team. We did everything but put the ball in our own net, gifting Iver possession and a few clear-cut chances, let off the hook massively. Winning the penalty early in the half seemed to put the team at the ease, and then adding a second meant we were clinical in the first-half to give us a commanding lead. Then we consolidated what we had and defended like warriors to limit the visitors to a few chances.
Iver's players grew frustrated the longer the game went on as they chased an equaliser, and when it didn't arrive they semi-imploded and ended the game with eight men due to dissent against the referee - fortunately the game of football up until that point in added time was fiercely contested and a good battle between two sides that know one another well. Ultimately, it was a deserved win and a great afternoon for the club.
I couldn't be prouder of how the squad have conducted themselves on Saturday's so far, we have come through a couple of real difficult tests and are building each week - we have shown immense character and drive to pick up the season six weeks in and not feel out of place at a level we've not yet competed in. We'll have some massive game this season though, so we'll be taking each week as they come, though thank you to everyone at the club for our best start to a season yet!
We're already looking forward to the away leg against Iver - good luck to you boys until we see you later down the track."
Hype Train FC: Matchday Squad
Manager: Robert Austin
Starting 11:
GK: Chris Marshall
DEF: George Fradgley
DEF: Joe Sawyer
DEF: Vincent van Lembergen (C)
DEF: Robert Austin
MID: Abz Raisa (Setiawan 46', Izzo 89')
MID: Matt Snell (Akemche 46')
MID: Phil Newport
MID: Gino Izzo (Ali 85')
MID: Sam Paddon (Knott 60')
FOR: Leon Mannion
Substitutes:
SUB: Dany Setiawan
SUB: Ash Ali
SUB: Ryan Knott
SUB: Colins Akemche
Goals and Assists:
Goal 1: Mannion goal, Newport assist
Goal 2: Mannion goal, Raisa assist
Goal 3: Ali goal, Mannion 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!
